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Florida Public Health Review

Publication Date

April 2010

Abstract

This study examined trends and correlates of breast cancer screening among women aged ≥40 years old by race/ethnicity using the 2001 and 2008 Florida Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Breast cancer screening was measured using both mammography and clinical breast examination (CBE). The total sample size was 10,386, with 4,938 women in the 2001 BRFSS and 5,448 in 2008. Significant disparities in breast cancer screening by race/ethnicity were found both in 2001 and 2008, with Hispanics having the lowest screening participation, compared to non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic Blacks. In 2008, non-Hispanic Black women had the highest percentage of timely mammography, CBE, and both mammography and CBE combined than non- Hispanic white and Hispanic women. Not having health insurance was a strong predictor of non-screening across all racial/ethnic groups. Whereas age, being married, and having a college education or higher were negatively correlated with lack of timely breast cancer screening among non-Hispanic Whites, poor health status was positively associated with lack of timely screening. Among Hispanics, the variables of having some college education or college degree or higher were positively associated with lack of CBE and with mammography and CBE. Our findings suggest that both an expansion of health insurance coverage as well as the timely promotion of screening across education and racial/ethnic segments may be important for breast cancer prevention.

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