papers

Does a diagnosis of schizophrenia reduce rates of mammography screening? A Manitoba population-based study

Schizophr Res 113:95-100.

Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

It is estimated that mammography screening can reduce mortality from breast cancer by 20–35% for women aged 50 to 69 years, and 20% for women aged 40 through 49 years (Elmore et al.; 2005; Fletcher and Elmore 2003). For women aged 50–69, the Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination (now known as the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend mammography screening every 1–2 years (de Grasse et al., 1999; Ferrini et al., 1996; Ringash and Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, 2001; US Preventive Services Task Force 2002). Manitoba’s Breast Screening Program states that the best chances of reducing deaths from breast cancer arise from screening at least 70% of Manitoba women aged 50 through 69 every two years. According to the Statistics Canada Canadian Community Health Survey [CCHS] 3.1 (Statistics Canada 2005) 72.6% of women aged 50 through 69 years received a mammogram (screening or diagnostic) over a two-year period. Women in Manitoba self-reported much lower rates, at 65.6%, with 42.6% being for routine screening and 23.0% for other reason, presumably diagnostic or follow-up; this data does not include on-reserve First Nations women, a major limitation in the province of Manitoba. Though not entirely comparable, CDC (2007) reports mammography rates for the USA at 74.6% in 2005 for women aged 40 and above.

PMID: 19427766