Mammography utilization rates among young white and black women in the USA.
OBJECTIVE
To determine mammography utilization rates for randomly selected white and black women in the USA.


METHODS
This was an observational study using data from 1988 to 2000. Data were extracted from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an annual self-report telephone survey conducted nationally by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


METHODS
The main outcome measure was the mammography utilization rates of women ages 18-40 years responding to 'Have you ever had a mammogram?'. In total, 354097 women were included in this study [310336 (87.6%) white women and 43761 (12.4%) black women].


RESULTS
In women ages 18-33, black women showed consistently higher mammography utilization rates than white women. Utilization rates among women ages 18-23 years were 20.0% and 11.0% for black and white women, respectively. Among women ages 24-29 years, rates were 22.2% and 11.5% for black and white women, respectively. For women ages 30-33 years, rates were 25.7% and 18.1% for black and white women, respectively. Utilization rates were similar in black and white women over 33 years of age.


CONCLUSIONS
This study found that young black women were receiving more mammography screening than young white women between 1988-2000. This may be due to the increased risk of fibroid masses in young black women.
Scharpf
T Pollack
TP
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. tpp2@case.edu
Rimm
Alfred A
AA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data