PHMC Household Health Survey Finds One-Third Of Women In SEPA Do Not Have Annual Breast Exams

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 17, 2014
Contact: Lulu Francois (215.825.8202 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

 

PHMC releases statistics on regional preventive breast health screenings in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

PHILADELPHIA— More than one-third of women in Southeastern Pennsylvania do not receive annual preventive breast health screenings, such as mammograms and clinical breast exams, according to survey data released today from the 2012 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey, an annual survey by Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) Center for Data Innovation. The survey, which was conducted among 10,000 households in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties, asks female respondents how long it has been since her last mammogram (for women 40+) or clinical breast exam (for women 18+), providing a range of time frames as response options.

The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health. Clinical breast exams are recommended about every three years for women in their 20s and 30s, and every year for women 40 and older.

The data was released in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease and to encourage preventive measures and early detection. Survey findings include:

Clinical Breast Exam
• One-third of women 18 years of age or older (33%) did not have a clinical breast exam in the past year, representing approximately 552,900 women.
• Approximately 182,000 women between the ages of 18 and 39 (37%) did not have a clinical breast exam in the past year, which is higher compared with women of other age groups, except for women 75 years of age or older (44%).
• More than one-half of Asian women 18+ (53%) did not have a breast exam in the past year compared with one-third of white and Latino women (33%), 29% of black women, and 37% of women who identify as another race/ethnicity.
• Women 18+ living below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level are more likely to have forgone a clinical breast exam in the past year (40%), compared with 32% of women at or above 100% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Mammogram
• Nearly four in ten women 40 years of age or older (37%) did not have a mammogram in the past year, an estimated 418,100 women.
• Women between the ages of 40-59 are slightly more likely to not have had a mammogram in the past year (40% and 37% respectively) compared with women 60-74 (30%). Women 75 and older are the most likely to have forgone a mammogram in the past year (44%).
• Women 40+ in Bucks and Chester Counties are more likely to not have had a mammogram in the past year (41% and 40% respectively) compared with 36% of women in Delaware County and 35% of women in Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties.
• Similar to clinical breast exams, Asian women 40+ are more likely to not have had a mammogram in the past year (52%) compared with white and Latina women (38%), black women (30%), and women of another race/ethnicity (45%).
• Women 40+ living below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level are slightly more likely to have forgone a mammogram in the past year (41%) compared with non-poor women (36%).

Breast Health Screenings and Access to Care Indicators
• Women 18+ who do not have a regular source of care are more than twice as likely to not have had a breast exam in the past year (12%) compared with those with a regular source of care (6%). Uninsured women 18+ are three times more likely to not have had a breast exam in the past year (18%) compared with women with health coverage (6%). Similarly, uninsured women 40+ are three times more likely to not have had a mammogram in the past year (12%) compared with insured women (4%).Women who were sick at some point in the last year, but did not seek care due to the cost, are less likely to have had a breast exam (for women 18+) (18% compared with 10%) and a mammogram (for women 40+) (15% compared with 7%) than women who did not experience cost barriers to care.

For more information about these findings, contact Sarah Ingerman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

About Public Health Management Corporation Center for Data Innovation
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. The Center for Data Innovation includes the Community Health Data Base (CHDB) and its annual Household Health Survey, one of the largest regional health surveys in the country. The Pew Charitable Trusts, William Penn Foundation, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, United Way of North Penn, Green Tree Community Health Foundation, North Penn Community Health Foundation, Thomas Scattergood Foundation, Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation, and over 350 local agencies from the health, government, nonprofit and academic sectors, help to support the CHDB and survey. For more information visit www.phmc.org or contact Francine Axler at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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