Sept. 27 (UPI) — A new study has found significant differences between women who underwent a mammogram at a cancer center compared to a mobile mammography van.
The study, published today in the American Journal of Roentgenology, found that stationary cancer centers have an older population and adhere more to guidelines, while mobile mammography units lack adherence to follow-up guidelines and have a population with greater racial and marital diversity and a higher recall rate.
The average age of patients visiting stationary cancer centers was 57.74 years old, while the average age of patients visiting mobile mammogram units was 52.58 years old.
“By identifying these characteristics, we can develop programs and materials that meet these populations’ needs and behaviors, ultimately increasing mammography screening and follow-up rates among underserved populations,” Elizabeth Stanley, a researcher in the Department of Radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina, said in a press release.
Researchers suggest that the lower recall recommendation rate in mobile mammography units is due to difficulties in access to the breast imaging center due to the fact that patients have to go to a stationary cancer center for follow-up testing.
The study found that patients using the mobile mammography units were more likely to be uninsured, but also had a greater racial and marital diversity, meeting the mobile unit’s mission of providing healthcare resources to adults living in areas with difficulty accessing health care.
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