Physicians should motivate hospitalized women at risk for breast cancer to be screened

A researcher identified several predictors of nonadherence to breast cancer screenings among hospitalized women, according to findings presented at the Society of Hospital Medicine Annual Meeting.

Waseem Khaliq, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Unversity, also estimated the prevalence of nonadherence.

"Disparities in screening mammography use persist among low-income women, even those who are insured, despite the proven mortality benefit," he stated in his abstract. "We evaluated the prevalence of breast cancer screening nonadherence among hospitalized women and their receptivity to inpatient screening mammography as a novel approach to increase breast cancer screening rate."

Khaliq conducted a cross-sectional study of 250 hospitalized women who had been admitted to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in 2012. The women were aged between 50 and 75 years.

Data demonstrated that about one-third of patients were black and 61% reported an annual household income of less than $20,000. In addition, 32% of the patients were at high risk for breast cancer, but 41% were overdue for screening and 13% of those patients had never had a mammogram.

Khaliq reported that the most common barriers to screening were lack of transportation and failure to remember appointments.

Results showed three independent variables were associated with breast cancer screening nonadherence: current or former smoking status (OR = 2.29; 95% CI, 1.12-4.67), stroke history (OR = 2.83; 95% CI, 1.21-6.6) and low income (OR = 3.81; 95% CI, 1.84-7.89).

"A significant number of hospitalized women from lower socioeconomic class are nonadherent and at high risk of developing breast cancer," Khaliq said. "Because hospitalization creates the scenario wherein patients are in close proximity to health care resources, at a time when they may be reflecting upon their health status, strategies could be employed to counsel, educate and motivate these patients towards health maintenance." – by Chelsea Frajerman Pardes

Reference:

Khaliq W. Abstract 77. Presented at: Society for Hospital Medicine Annual Meeting; March 6-9, 2016; San Diego.

Disclosures: Healio Internal Medicine could not confirm relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.