Using Medicare data to estimate the prevalence of breast cancer screening in older women: comparison of different methods to identify screening mammograms.

Objectives: To compare different methods for defining screening mammograms with Medicare claims and their impact on estimates of breast cancer screening rates.

Methods: Medicare outpatient facility and physician claims for 61,962 women in 1993 and 59,652 women in 1998 were reviewed for evidence of receipt of screening mammography. We compared the estimates of screening mammography use derived from CPT (Current Procedure Terminology) codes to categorize mammograms as screening or diagnostic versus using an algorithm that uses CPT codes plus breast-related diagnoses in the prior two years.

Regular mammography use is associated with elimination of age-related disparities in size and stage of breast cancer at diagnosis.

Background: There is little consensus about recommending mammography for women 75 years of age and older. These women have mammography less frequently and are more likely to receive a diagnosis of advanced breast cancer.

Objective: To examine the relationship between use of screening mammography and size and stage of cancer at diagnosis in older women.

Pap smear use in a population of older Mexican-American women.

Background: Hispanic women and older women (age > or = 50 years) in general have been identified as populations of women who often underutilize Papanicolaou (Pap) smears.

Objective: To report the rates of cervical cancer screening in a group of older Mexican American women and to identify the correlates of having a Pap smear in the past three years.

Data Source: The Mammography Use by Older Mexican-American Women Survey, a stratified area probability sample of 452 women ages 50-74 from three southeast Texas counties.