April 15, 2021
Race, income, and education all affect access to 3D mammography
A new study from the University of Washington School of Medicine reveals disparities in access to 3D mammography, which is a highly accurate technology for breast cancer detection.
The researchers sought to determine if the technology is equitably distributed and found that women of minority races and ethnicities, those with less education and lower-income status were less likely to have access to the technology.
These findings reveal continuing disparities in breast cancer screening outcomes, which holds implications for historically underserved populations that already face a greater risk for morbidity and mortality from breast cancer.
The study reviewed 2.3 million breast-screening exams, making it the largest-ever survey of US access to 3D mammography.