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. 2008 Jul-Aug;17(6):923-30.
doi: 10.1089/jwh.2007.0402.

Racial/ethnic disparities in time to follow-up after an abnormal mammogram

Rebecca Press  1 , Olveen Carrasquillo, Robert R Sciacca, Elsa-Grace V Giardina
Affiliations

Racial/ethnic disparities in time to follow-up after an abnormal mammogram

Rebecca Press et al. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2008 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Background: Although non-Hispanic white women have an increased risk of developing breast cancer, the disease-specific survival is lower for African American and Hispanic women. Little is known about disparities in follow-up after an abnormal mammogram. The goal of this study was to investigate potential disparities in follow-up after an abnormal mammogram.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 6722 women with an abnormal mammogram and documented follow-up from January 2000 through December 2002 was performed at an academic medical center in New York City. The outcome was the number of days between the abnormal mammogram and follow-up imaging or biopsy. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the effect of race/ethnicity and other potential covariates.

Results: The median number of days to diagnostic follow-up after an abnormal mammogram was greater for African American (20 days) and Hispanic (21 days) women compared with non-Hispanic white (14 days) women (p < 0.001). Racial/ethnic disparities remained significant in a multivariable model controlling for age, Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BIRADS) category, insurance status, provider practice location, and median household income.

Conclusions: After an abnormal mammogram, African American and Hispanic women had longer times to diagnostic follow-up compared with non-Hispanic white women. Future efforts will focus on identifying the barriers to follow-up so that effective interventions may be implemented.

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Figures

FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.
Factors that may contribute to disparities in the cancer care continuum. (From Ward et al.)
FIG. 2.
FIG. 2.
Bivariate analysis of time to diagnostic follow-up after abnormal mammogram by race/ethnicity.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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