title: Mental illness: is there an association with cancer screening among women veterans?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mental illness may be a barrier to achieving timely and appropriate cancer screening. We evaluated the association of mental illness with receipt of and adherence to breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening among women Veterans.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included all female Veterans ages 50 to 65 who obtained care at the New Mexico VA Health Care System continuously from fiscal years 2004 to 2006 (n = 606). Measures were odds ratios (OR) for receipt of any cancer screening, and adherence to recommended cancer screening frequency, adjusted for age, insurance, service connection, and primary care and women's clinic visits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 53% of the women had a mental health diagnosis (MHD). Women with an MHD were less likely to adhere to recommended breast cancer screening than women without MHD: unadjusted OR (95% CI): 0.73 (0.54-0.98; p < .05), adjusted OR (aOR) (95% CI) 0.60 (0.44-0.82; p < .01). Women with an MHD were as likely as women without MHD to receive any breast, cervical, and colon cancer screening: Respective aORs (95% CI): 0.79 (0.50-1.25); 1.71 (0.91-3.21); and 0.85 (0.56-1.28).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with a mental illness are at risk for not adhering to recommended routine breast cancer screening, and may require more intensive efforts to achieve optimal rates of recommended breast cancer screening.
authors: New Mexico VA Health Care System, Department of Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque 87108, New Mexico, USA. Ellen.yee2@va.gov
authors: Ellen F T
authors: EF
authors: Yee
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: White
authors: Sang-Joon
authors: SJ
authors: Lee
authors: Donna L
authors: DL
authors: Washington
authors: Elizabeth M
authors: EM
authors: Yano
authors: Glen
authors: G
authors: Murata
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Handanos
authors: Richard M
authors: RM
authors: Hoffman
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009516:New Mexico; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010349:Patient Compliance; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D016387:Women's Health