Breast cancer screening compliance among young women in a free access healthcare system

Abstract

Background and objectives: To examine mammographic screening compliance among young military healthcare beneficiaries and to examine factors related to one time and recent mammographic compliance.

Methods: Medical records were reviewed for 1,073 subjects (age 41-47) recording dates of the two most recent screening mammograms. Examined outcomes were: whether the woman ever had mammography and, if so, whether she had a mammogram within 400 days. Examined predictors were: ethnicity, age, Gail Model risk score, family history, whether the woman knew a young woman with breast cancer, and importance attributed to breast cancer screening.

Results: 90.4% of women studied had at least one mammogram. 71.1% underwent screening within 400 days. Rates of ever having mammography were higher for women with family history of breast cancer and Asian, Pacific Islander, Black or Hispanic women. No measured covariate correlated with having mammography within 400 days.

Conclusions: One time screening participation was high in this select group of women for whom cost and access barriers were removed, but was lower with regard to having a recent mammogram. Correlates of ever having and recent mammography are not synonymous.