Is Canadian women's breast cancer screening behaviour associated with having a family doctor?
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether regular care from a family physician is associated with regular participation in screening mammography.


METHODS
Secondary analysis of the 2006 Canadian Community Health Survey data.


METHODS
Canada.


METHODS
Cross-sectional sample of 15 195 Canadian women aged 50 to 69 years.


METHODS
The outcome of interest was screening mammography within the past 2 years; the key explanatory factor was active interaction with a family physician. Control factors included sociodemographic characteristics, other cancer screening behaviour, and other cancer risk habits.


RESULTS
Active interaction with a regular family doctor doubled the odds that a woman had received a recent screening mammogram. Other cancer screening and preventive measures were also strongly associated with that outcome. A woman who had had a recent Papanicolaou test was more than 3 times as likely to have had a recent mammogram; nonsmokers were much more likely to have had a recent mammogram than smokers.


CONCLUSIONS
Adults who receive regular care from family physicians are more likely to participate in screening mammography within the recommended time frames.
Poole
Barbara
B
Cancer Control Research, BC Cancer Agency, 675 W 10th Ave, 2nd Floor, Suite 115, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3. bpoole@bccancer.bc.ca
Black
Charlyn
C
Gelmon
Karen
K
Kan
Lisa
L
D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care
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