Breast cancer disparities among Latina women reveal earlier diagnoses but limited access to screenings. Despite being diagnosed at a younger age, Latinas have the lowest documented mammogram rates, suggesting reliance on symptom detection. These findings underline the importance of understanding cultural, linguistic, and financial factors affecting screening access. Addressing these gaps is crucial for achieving health equity and guiding tailored patient engagement strategies to enhance screening services.
Breast cancer diagnosis in Latina women occurs at a younger age compared to women of other races, yet this is not due to increased access to routine breast cancer screenings. New data from Epic Research reveals that Latina women have the lowest likelihood of having recent breast cancer screenings documented in their electronic health records (EHR), despite being diagnosed at an earlier age. This suggests that Latina women tend to seek medical attention once they notice symptoms, potentially indicating that the cancer has progressed further.
Routine breast cancer screenings, particularly mammograms, are crucial for women’s healthcare. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends biennial breast cancer screenings for women starting at age 40. Early detection through screenings can significantly reduce mortality risk and improve quality of life, with benefits outweighing potential risks such as false positives.
Epic Research analyzed 484,177 breast cancer diagnoses spanning from 2018 to 2023 to better understand the average age of breast cancer diagnosis. The average age remained relatively constant at 63.2 years during the five-year study period, with slight variations. Generally, diagnoses occurred in the early to mid-60s range.
However, disparities emerged based on race and ethnicity. White women had the oldest average age of diagnosis at 64.5 years. Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women had similar ages of diagnosis, around 61.7 and 61.1 years, respectively. Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander women were diagnosed at 59.2 years on average, and Asian women were slightly younger, with an average diagnosis age of 58.1 years.
Latina/Hispanic women were diagnosed at an average age of 57.2 years, which is more than seven years younger than the typical age for White women. However, these age disparities are not due to early-age breast cancer screening access. Despite being diagnosed at a younger age, Latina women had the lowest documented recent mammogram rates compared to other racial and ethnic groups.
Only about 38.4 percent of Latina women had recent mammograms documented in their EHRs. This contrasts with rates of 41 percent for AI/AN women, 42.7 percent for Asian women, 47.3 percent for Black women, 47.9 percent for White women, and 49.4 percent for Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander women.
Furthermore, fewer than two in five Latina women with a breast cancer diagnosis had received screening in the year before diagnosis. This suggests that early-age mammograms did not detect the cancers that led to their diagnoses. Instead, Latina women are believed to notice breast cancer symptoms, like lumps or changes in the breast, independently and subsequently seek medical care.
The potential implications of this behavior on prognosis remain unexplored in the Epic Research report. Kersten Bartelt, RN, a clinician at Epic Research, suggested that further investigation into cancer stage at diagnosis could shed light on prognosis and survival rates across population groups.
While screenings have the potential to improve prognosis, as per the American Cancer Society, early-detected cancers tend to be smaller and less likely to have spread. The data from Epic Research underscores the disparities in breast cancer screening based on race and ethnicity. Addressing these gaps is vital for achieving health equity, and understanding the underlying reasons can guide providers in designing strategies to enhance access to care.
Language barriers, awareness issues, scheduling difficulties, socioeconomic factors, financial constraints, and transportation challenges are some of the factors that could contribute to the screening gaps. Bartelt advised that recognizing each patient’s unique needs related to finances, language, and transportation is a crucial first step in efforts to enhance screening service accessibility.
