Health Care Segregation, Physician Recommendation, and Racial Disparities in BRCA1/2 Testing Among Women With Breast Cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Racial disparities in BRCA1/2 testing have been documented, but causes of these disparities are poorly understood. The study objective was to investigate whether the distribution of black and white patients across cancer providers contributes to disparities in BRCA1/2 testing.

Patients and methods

We conducted a population-based study of women in Pennsylvania and Florida who were 18 to 64 years old and diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 2007 and 2009, linking cancer registry data, the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile, and patient and physician surveys. The study included 3,016 women (69% white, 31% black), 808 medical oncologists, and 732 surgeons.

Results

Black women were less likely to undergo BRCA1/2 testing than white women (odd

SUBMITTER: McCarthy AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5012689 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature