Addressing Inequity in Spatial Access to Lung Cancer Screening.

Background: The successful implementation of an equitable lung cancer screening program requires consideration of factors that influence accessibility to screening services.

Methods: Using lung cancer cases in British Columbia (BC), Canada, as a proxy for a screen-eligible population, spatial access to 36 screening sites was examined using geospatial mapping and vehicle travel time from residential postal code at diagnosis to the nearest site. The impact of urbanization and Statistics Canada's Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation were examined.

The cost-effectiveness of adding tomosynthesis to mammography-based breast cancer screening: an economic analysis.

Background: Observational studies show that digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) combined with digital mammography (DM) can reduce recall rates and increases rates of breast cancer detection. The objective of this study was to examine the cost-effectiveness of DBT plus DM versus DM alone in British Columbia and to identify parameters that can improve the efficiency of breast cancer screening programs.

Methods: We conducted an economic analysis based on data from a cohort of screening participants in the BC Cancer Breast Screening Program.

Breast screening participation and retention among immigrants and nonimmigrants in British Columbia: A population-based study.

Breast cancer screening programs operate across Canada providing mammography to women in target age groups with the goal of reducing breast cancer mortality through early detection of tumors. Disparities in breast screening participation among socio-demographic groups, including immigrants, have been reported in Canada. Our objectives were to: (1) assess breast screening participation and retention among immigrant and nonimmigrant women in British Columbia (BC), Canada; and (2) to characterize factors associated with screening among screening-age recent immigrant women in BC.

Signed family physician reminder letters to women overdue for screening mammography: A randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To determine whether signed family physician reminder letters to women overdue for screening mammography prompts rescreening.

Methods: A randomized double-blind trial conducted in 2013 among women aged 51-73 and overdue for screening by 6-24 months. The study was carried out by the publicly funded British Columbia Cancer Agency Screening Mammography Program, which routinely sends standard reminder postcards to women who are due for mammography.