Disparities in mammography use among US women aged 40-64 years, by race, ethnicity, income, and health insurance status, 1993 and 2005.

OBJECTIVE: To examine current disparities in mammography use, and changes in disparities over time by race, ethnicity, income, insurance, and combinations of these characteristics. RESEARCH DESIGN: Comparison of cross-sectional surveys of mammography use using the 1993 and 2005 National Health Interview Survey. SUBJECTS: Women aged 40-64 (1993, n = 4167; 2005, n = 7434). MEASURES: Mammogram within prior 2 years. RESULTS: In 2005, uninsured women reported the lowest mammography use (38.3%). Though screening increased 6.9 percentage points among low-income, uninsured women, the overall disparity between insured and uninsured women did not change significantly between 1993 and 2005. Screening seems to have declined among middle-income, uninsured women, increasing the gap compared with middle-income, insured women. The lower mammography use in 1993 among American Indian/Alaska Native compared with white women was not present in 2005; however, lower use among Asian compared with white women emerged in 2005. We found no differences between African American and white women. Hispanic women were less likely than non-Hispanic women to report screening in 2005 (58.1% vs. 69.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Although mammography use increased for some groups between 1993 and 2005, low-income, uninsured women continued to have the lowest screening rates in 2005 and the disparity for this group was not reduced. The gap in screening use for middle-income, uninsured women increased, resulting from possible declines in mammography even for uninsured women not in poverty. Asian women became less likely to receive screening in 2005. Continuing efforts are needed to eliminate disparities. Increased efforts are especially needed to address the large persistent disparity for uninsured women, including middle-income uninsured women.

Decision making in prostate-specific antigen screening National Health Interview Survey, 2000.

BACKGROUND: The net benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test are uncertain, and professional organizations recommend that physicians discuss these uncertainties with patients before initiating screening. Using a nationally representative sample of men reporting past PSA screening, we aimed to determine the extent to which screening was initiated by physicians and preceded by physician-patient discussions. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey; 2,676 men aged 40 and older underwent PSA screening and met study inclusion criteria. We analyzed the proportions of men for whom PSA screening was (1) was initiated by the physician versus the patient, and (2) preceded by discussions about the test's advantages and disadvantages. RESULTS: Overall, 74% (95% CI=71.8-76.0) of recipients reported that PSA screening was initiated by their physician, and the proportion increased with advancing age, declining health status, lack of family history of prostate cancer, presence of a usual source of medical care, and non-Hispanic ethnicity. Sixty-five percent (95% CI=63.1-67.1) of screening recipients reported prescreening discussions with their physicians. Discussions were more common with physician-initiated screening than with patient-initiated screening, and among patients reporting a usual source of medical care, non-blue-collar occupation, and black race. CONCLUSIONS: Among U.S. men receiving PSA screening, screening is usually initiated by physicians, frequently in men relatively less likely to benefit from it, and often without prior discussion of the test's advantages and disadvantages. Further examination of the PSA decision-making process among screened and unscreened men is warranted.

Health insurance coverage and cost barriers to needed medical care among U.S. adult cancer survivors age<65 years.

BACKGROUND: The health insurance and cost barriers to care among cancer survivors age <65 years were examined. METHODS: Using the 1998 and 2000 National Health Interview Survey, survivors ages 18 to 64 years (n=1718) were compared with similarly aged adults without cancer (n=50,276) to examine health insurance and reported delayed/missed needed medical care within the previous year because of cost. Findings were initially adjusted for age, sex, race, and ethnicity, and further adjusted for employment, income, health status, marital status, and region. RESULTS: Before adjustment, survivors were less likely to be uninsured (12.4% vs. 18.0%) and more likely to have public insurance (11.2% vs. 6.2%). After initial adjustment, survivors were as likely to lack insurance, less likely to have private insurance, and more likely to have public insurance. After further adjusting, differences in being uninsured were found to be small, differences in having private insurance were eliminated, and differences in having public insurance were reduced. Survivors most likely to lack insurance were younger, female, African-American, or lower income. Survivors, particularly uninsured or publicly insured survivors, were more likely to delay/miss care because of cost. Overall, 20.9% of survivors, including 68% of uninsured survivors, reported delaying/missing needed care. CONCLUSIONS: Health insurance coverage among cancer survivors age<65 years appears to be comparable to that of adults of similar age, sex, race, and ethnicity, but survivors may more likely be publicly insured. Differences are attributable in part to employment, income, and health status, factors potentially influenced by cancer. Unmet medical care needs because of cost were common among survivors, particularly uninsured survivors.

Breast cancer screening practices among women in the United States, 2000.

Results from recent studies indicate that many women in the US undergo routine screening for breast cancer, but some groups of women are under-screened. In this study, we examined the breast cancer screening practices of white and black women in the United States, according to Hispanic ethnicity and other factors, using data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey. Among women aged > or =40 years, 71.2% (95% confidence interval, CI: 70.0-72.4%) of the 8201 white women and 67.6% (95% CI: 64.5-70.6%) of the 1474 black women in this sample reported having a mammogram in the past two years. About 60.3% (95% CI: 56.7-70.3%) of 970 Hispanic women (including those who reported they were white or black) and 71.5% (95% CI: 70.3-72.7%) of 8705 non-Hispanic women reported having a mammogram in the past two years. About 74.8% (95% CI: 73.8-76.8%) of 8176 white women and 73.8% (95% CI: 71.1-76.6%) of 1471 black women aged > or =40 years had received a clinical breast examination in the past two years. About 60.1% (95% CI: 56.1-64.0%) of 969 Hispanic women (including those who reported they were white or black) and 75.6% (95% CI: 74.6-76.6%) of 8678 non-Hispanic women had received a clinical breast examination in the past two years. Women with lower incomes, those with less education, and recent immigrants were less likely to be screened. Women who had a usual source of health care and those with health insurance coverage were more likely to have been screened. These results underscore the need for continued efforts to ensure that uninsured women and those who are medically underserved have access to cancer screening services.