title: Self-reported cancer screening among elderly Medicare beneficiaries: a rural-urban comparison.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the rural-urban disparity of screening for breast cancer and colorectal cancer (CRC) among the elder Medicare beneficiaries and assessed rurality's independent impact on receipt of screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using 2005 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, we applied weighted logistic regression to estimate the overall rural-urban disparity and rurality's independent impact on cancer screening, controlling for patient, and area factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas, the rates for mammogram last year were 53%, 52%, 45%, and 44%, respectively. They were 56%, 50%, 48%, and 43% for CRC screening, respectively. After controlling for patient and area level characteristics, rurality is significantly associated with CRC screening, but not mammogram.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found rural-urban disparities for both mammogram and CRC screenings. Patient and area factors totally eliminated the rural-urban disparity for mammogram but not CRC screening. Health promotions to improve cancer screening should focus more on small and isolated rural areas.
authors: Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA. Lin_Fan@urmc.rochester.edu
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Fan
authors: Supriya
authors: S
authors: Mohile
authors: Ning
authors: N
authors: Zhang
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Fiscella
authors: Katia
authors: K
authors: Noyes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057566:Self Report; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*