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Misconceptions Persist Among Older Women In Spite Of Rising Mammography Rates
Although breast cancer risk increases with age, more than one-third of women ages 65 and older are not as concerned about getting breast cancer as they were when they were younger, according to a newly released national telephone survey conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) in the Spring of 1999.
In addition, only 57 percent of the nationally representative sample of 814 women ages 65 and older know about recommendations to have a screening mammogram every one or two years. "These findings indicate once again that misconceptions about breast cancer risk and the potential benefit from regular breast cancer screening are prevalent among older women," said Leslie Ford, M.D., associate director for Clinical Research in NCI's Division of Cancer Prevention.
NCI and HCFA conducted the survey of breast cancer and mammography screening knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors to help evaluate ongoing mammography education efforts and to identify areas needing additional attention. Until last year, educational efforts have primarily targeted women younger than 65.
Other key findings from the survey include: - The vast majority (88 percent) of older women have had at least one mammogram in their lifetime, representing a 25 percent increase from a similar survey conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) in 1992. Of this group, the vast majority (80 percent) received their most recent mammogram two years ago or less again a substantial increase from 1992 (55 percent).
- Half of the women who have had mammograms received them as part of routine preventive care. One- third (34 percent) also indicated that a doctor or other health professional had recommended it to them. Those who had never had a mammogram were most likely to report that they didn't feel they needed it and/or that a doctor had not recommended it.
- More than three-quarters of women (77 percent) were aware that Medicare will cover the cost of mammograms, but only slightly more than half (58 percent) had actually used Medicare for this purpose. Use of the Medicare mammography benefit was more common among women 70 and older, lower income women, and women who were aware of Medicare's mammography coverage.
Last year, NCI and HCFA formed a partnership to raise awareness about regular mammography screening among women ages 65 and older, and of the expanded mammography screening benefit for Medicare beneficiaries. Starting this October, the partnership's efforts are expanding to increase the number of providers who refer female Medicare beneficiaries ages 65 and older for screening mammograms. NCI and HCFA will work with professional medical organizations to increase awareness among providers and will develop materials that facilitate communication between providers and patients about mammography and breast cancer. "The fact that more older women are seeking mammography screening is great news," said Ford. "But we also realize that physicians are instrumental in encouraging women to be screened regularly and we'd like to get them more involved in making referrals for screening."
In addition, while over three-quarters of the women surveyed are aware that Medicare will cover the cost of mammograms, minority women are nearly twice as likely to be unaware of this benefit. "Through this federal partnership we are working with health care providers to increase mammography screening among all older women, and we are going to make a concerted effort to reach those physicians who treat minority women," said Barbara Paul, M.D., physician advisor to the Center for Beneficiary Services at HCFA.
Medicare information is available through HCFA at 1-800-MEDICARE and Web sites at http://www.medicare.gov/ or http://cms.hhs.gov.
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