Reported drop in mammography : is this cause for concern?
BACKGROUND
Timely screening with mammography can prevent a substantial number of deaths from breast cancer. The objective of this brief was to ascertain whether recent use of mammography has dropped nationally.


METHODS
The authors assessed the trend in mammography rates from 1987 through 2005. Then, they used the 2000 and 2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) estimates to characterize trends and current patterns in mammography use.


RESULTS
After robust, rapid increases in reported use of mammography by women in the U.S. since 1987, estimates from the 2005 NHIS showed a decline compared with 2000 (from 70% to 66%). Although it was small, this decline may be cause for concern, because it signals a change in direction.


CONCLUSIONS
This report establishes for the nation what already has been observed in some local data. The results confirmed that the use of mammography may be falling. This change needs to be monitored carefully and also may call for intervention.
Breen
Nancy
N
Health Services and Economics Branch, Applied Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda 20892-7344, Maryland, USA. breenn@mail.nih.gov
A Cronin
Kathleen
K
Meissner
Helen I
HI
Taplin
Stephen H
SH
Tangka
Florence K
FK
Tiro
Jasmin A
JA
McNeel
Timothy S
TS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008327:Mammography / Q000639:trends*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000639:trends; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States