Recorded presentation

Jeannette Jackson-Thompson, MSPH, PhD, Department of Health Management & Informatics, University of Missouri-Columbia, 324 Clark Hall, Columbia, MO 65211-4380, (573) 882-7775, jacksonthompsonj@health.missouri.edu, Shumei Yun, MD, MPH, PhD, Section of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, 920 Wildwood Dr., Jefferson City, MO 65109, and Bao Ping Zhu, MD, MPH, Office of Epidemiology, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, 920 Wildwood Dr., Jefferson City, MO 65109.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among Missouri women. Although cervical cancer mortality in the state is low, these deaths are almost entirely preventable. Cancer screening at recommended intervals combined with appropriate diagnosis and treatment are effective ways to reduce breast and cervical cancer deaths, but socio-demographic disparities exist in cancer screening practices of Missouri women.

The objectives of this study were to: 1) describe disparities in breast and cervical cancer screening practices among women living in three areas of the state with high proportions of African Americans; and 2) evaluate changes in cancer screening practices from 1996 to 2001.

Two BRFSS-based telephone surveys were conducted in 1996 and 2001 among adults age 18 years or older living in St. Louis, Kansas City and the “Bootheel” region of Missouri. Core BRFSS questions on breast and cervical cancer screening practices and demographics were included in both surveys.

While breast cancer screening rates in the survey regions in 2001 exceeded, and cervical cancer screening rates were close to, Healthy People 2010 Objectives, breast cancer screening rates among white women with less than high school education were much lower than the Objectives and rates for black women with similar demographic characteristics.

Breast cancer screening rates increased significantly from 1996 to 2001 in women aged 50 or older, especially among women aged 50 to 64. The disparity in clinical breast exam between women with health care coverage and those without health care coverage decreased from 1996 to 2001.

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