Breast screening participation and degree of spread of invasive breast cancer at diagnosis in mental health service users: A population linkage study.

Background: Women living with mental health conditions may not have shared in improvements in breast cancer screening and care. No studies have directly examined the link between reduced screening participation and breast cancer spread in women using mental health (MH) services.

Methods: Population-wide linkage of a population cancer register, BreastScreen register, and mental health service data set in women aged 50 to 74 years in New South Wales, Australia, from 2008 to 2017.

Breast cancer screening participation in women using mental health services in NSW, Australia: a population study.

Purpose: Population screening programs have contributed to reduced breast cancer mortality, but disadvantaged or vulnerable groups may not have shared these improvements. In North American and European studies, women living with mental health conditions have reduced breast screening rates. There are no current Australasian data to support health system planning and improvement strategies.