United States: The obstacle of high cost and access to health care is not the only one women face when seeking timely and lifesaving mammograms, the latest report from the government says.
Healthcare barriers, i.e., food insufficiency, lack of transport, fewer work hours, and feelings of isolation, can delay the provision and checkup of breast cancer, the researchers from the US CDC concluded, as reported by Associated Press.
Addressing Health-Related Social Needs
“We have to address these health-related social needs to help women get the mammograms they need,” said CDC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry.
The CDC reported that breast cancer is the underlying cause of more than 40,000 deaths among women yearly in the US. Mammogram screening is well-documented to cause a drop on those deaths.
“Identifying these challenges and coordinating efforts between health care, social services, community organizations, and public health to help address these needs could improve efforts to increase breast cancer screening and ultimately save these tragic losses to families,” Houry added in a CDC news release.
Data Analysis
The study employed a data analysis approach from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for.
They found out that the more health-related social problems she has, the less chance she will have to have a mammogram screening.
Expensive health care was the number one challenge for those who had not received mammograms in the last two years, but there were other obstacles as well.
The problems associated with low income, lack of insurance, and no regular health source were the ones that impeded women’s access to mammography.
Innovative Diagnosis Models to Enhance Access
According to Dr. Lisa Richardson, new diagnosis models will be used to assess what women don’t have access to in terms of health-related social needs and how we can help them get the services they need. If every woman is screened for breast cancer without any barriers, we can achieve higher cancer screening rates, as reported by Associated Press.
The American Preventive Services Task Force advises that women ages 50 to 74 who are asymptomatic should get a screening mammogram, and that women ageing from 40 to 49 should discuss with their physician on when they should have a screening mammogram and how frequently.