查看文章

Objective

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether geographic access to mammography screening is associated with the stage at breast cancer diagnosis.

Methods

Using the state’s population-based cancer registry, all female residents of New Hampshire aged≥ 40 years who were diagnosed with breast cancer during 1998–2004 were identified. The factors associated with early stage (stages 0 to 2) or later stage (stages 3 and 4) diagnosis of breast cancer were compared, with emphasis on the distance a woman lived from the closest mammography screening facility, and residence in rural and urban locations.

Results

A total of 5966 New Hampshire women were diagnosed with breast cancer during 1998–2004. Their mean driving distance to the nearest mammography facility was 8.85 km (range 0–44.26; 5.5 miles, range 0–27.5), with a mean estimated travel time of 8.9 min (range 0.0–42.2). The …