The recent decline in mammography rates is limited to low- to average-risk women

Abstract 

Introduction

There has recently been a decline in mammography rates noted in the general population. We sought to determine whether similar trends hold in high-risk populations.

Methods

Mammography rates from the National Health Interview Survey for 2000 and 2005 were analyzed for differences among risk-stratified populations of women over the age of 40.

Results

Although high-risk women (those with a personal of family history of breast cancer) were more likely to report having had a mammogram than lower risk women, they, too, showed a small decline in mammography rates. This, however, did not reach statistical significance. The decline in mammography rates in lower risk women, however, was significant and correlated with that of the general population.

Conclusions

The decline in breast cancer–screening rates noted over the past 5 years has been predominantly in lower-risk women.

Keywords: Breast cancer, Mammography, Risk factors, Screening