title: Presence, characteristics and equity of access to breast cancer screening programmes in 27 European countries in 2010 and 2014. Results from an international survey.
abstract: The European Union Council Recommendation of 2 December 2003 on cancer screening suggests the implementation of organised, population-based breast cancer screening programmes based on mammography every other year for women aged 50 to 69years, ensuring equal access to screening, taking into account potential needs for targeting particular socioeconomic groups. A European survey on coverage and participation, and key organisational and policy characteristics of the programmes, targeting years 2010 and 2014, was undertaken in 2014. Overall, 27 countries contributed to this survey, 26 of the 28 European Union member states (92.9%) plus Norway. In 2014, 25 countries reported an ongoing population-based programme, one country reported a pilot programme and another was planning a pilot. In eight countries, the target age range was broader than that proposed by the Council Recommendation, and in three countries the full range was not covered. Fifteen countries reported not reaching some vulnerable populations, such as immigrants, prisoners and people without health insurance, while 22 reported that participation was periodically monitored by socioeconomic variables (e.g. age and territory). Organised, population-based breast cancer screening programmes based on routine mammograms are in place in most EU member states. However, there are still differences in the way screening programmes are implemented, and participation by vulnerable populations should be encouraged.
authors.affiliation: European Commission, Directorate General Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate F - Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, Ispra, VA, Italy. Electronic address: silvia.deandrea@ec.europa.eu.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deandrea
authors.affiliation: Área de Investigación en Cáncer y Salud Pública. Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica (FISABIO)-Salud Pública Área de Investigación en Cáncer y Salud Pública, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molina-Barceló
authors.affiliation: European Commission, Directorate General Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate F - Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, Ispra, VA, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uluturk
authors.affiliation: Área de Investigación en Cáncer y Salud Pública. Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica (FISABIO)-Salud Pública Área de Investigación en Cáncer y Salud Pública, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: European Commission, Directorate General Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate F - Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, Ispra, VA, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neamtiu
authors.affiliation: Área de Investigación en Cáncer y Salud Pública. Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica (FISABIO)-Salud Pública Área de Investigación en Cáncer y Salud Pública, Valencia, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peiró-Pérez
authors.affiliation: European Commission, Directorate General Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate F - Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, Ispra, VA, Italy.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Saz-Parkinson
authors.affiliation: CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Unidad de bioestadística clínica, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain; Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lopez-Alcalde
authors.affiliation: European Commission, Directorate General Joint Research Centre (JRC), Directorate F - Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, Ispra, VA, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lerda
authors.affiliation: Área de Investigación en Cáncer y Salud Pública. Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica (FISABIO)-Salud Pública Área de Investigación en Cáncer y Salud Pública, Valencia, Spain; Dirección General de Salud Pública. Conselleria de Sanitat Universal i Salut Pública. G. Valenciana, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005062:European Union; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Breast neoplasms; Early detection of cancer; Europe; Socioeconomic factors