Timeliness of abnormal screening and diagnostic mammography follow-up at facilities serving vulnerable women.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Whether timeliness of follow-up after abnormal mammography differs at facilities serving vulnerable populations, such as women with limited education or income, in rural areas, and racial/ethnic minorities is unknown.

Methods

We examined receipt of diagnostic evaluation after abnormal mammography using 1998-2006 Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium-linked Medicare claims. We compared whether time to recommended breast imaging or biopsy depended on whether women attended facilities serving vulnerable populations. We characterized a facility by the proportion of mammograms performed on women with limited education or income, in rural areas, or racial/ethnic minorities.

Results

We analyzed 30,874 abnormal screening examinations recommended for follow-up imagi

SUBMITTER: Goldman LE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3966312 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature