The attendance of migrant women at the national breast cancer screening in the Netherlands 1997-2008

Abstract

The attendance of migrant women at the national breast cancer screening in the Netherlands is high; however, a much lower attendance was found in a study carried out in one region of the Netherlands some years ago. An increase in the attendance rates of migrant women over time was assumed, but no national data were available until now. The aim of this study is to provide national data about the attendance of migrant women at the national breast cancer screening in the Netherlands and the development of these attendance rates over time. The attendance rates at the national breast cancer screening program in the years 1997-1998 and 2007-2008 of women of all nationalities are compared and the differences are tested with the chi test. The attendance of Dutch women at the breast cancer screening in 2007-2008 was high (83%). The attendance rates of migrant women originating from Africa, Asia or Latin America (63%), such as Turkish women (62%) and especially Moroccan women (54%), were significantly lower (P=0.00). Compared with 10 years before, the overall attendance in 2007-2008 stayed almost constant, and changed only from 80 to 83%. The attendance rate of migrant women from Africa, Asia or Latin America increased from 51% in 1997-1998 to 63% in 2007-2008. These national figures show that the attendance rates of migrant women at the breast cancer screening have increased substantially over the past 10 years. However, specific efforts to increase the attendance rates of this target group are needed because the current attendance rates of this group are still far below the overall attendance rates.