Breast cancer risk assessment in socioeconomically disadvantaged urban communities.
During 2005, a risk assessment tool based on the Gail model was used to calculate the five-year risk of developing breast cancer for 445 women who live in socioeconomically disadvantaged urban communities in western Pennsylvania and who attended health fairs and other community-sponsored activities. This tool allowed us to evaluate each woman and advise her of her risks in a process lasting 15-20 minutes. Of the 445 women, 71.7% were black and 21.6% had a higher than average risk. The proportion of white women at high risk was significantly greater than the proportion of black women at high risk (33.3% vs. 16.9%; P < 0.01). The Gail model assessment tool for use in low-income and minority populations holds promise because it is noninvasive, is easy to use and provides immediate data about risk. This risk communication may help encourage minority and low-income women to receive screening mammography. It has the potential to improve breast cancer screening rates.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Shadyside Place, Suite 110, 580 S. Aiken Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA. cjlin@pitt.edu
Chyongchiou Jeng
CJ
Lin
Bruce
B
Block
Mary Patricia
MP
Nowalk
Mattie
M
Woods
Edmund M
EM
Ricci
Keith H
KH
Morgenlander
Dwight E
DE
Heron
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006277:Health Fairs; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D011204:Poverty Areas; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000208:ethnology*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*