S. Etzi et al., THE USE OF MAMMOGRAPHY VANS BY LOW-INCOME WOMEN - THE ACCURACY OF SELF-REPORTS, American journal of public health, 84(1), 1994, pp. 107-109
The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of self-repo
rts of mammography use by low-income women. Mammography van records we
re used to verify self-reports of mammography use in the past year by
women aged 50 through 75 years who had visited five community health c
enters (n = 237). Van records verified mammography use for 99% of thes
e women (82% within the previous year and 98% within the past 2 years)
. Forty percent of those with van records who reported both the month
and year of the mammogram were accurate. Inaccurately reported dates w
ere more frequently after (74%) rather than before (26%) the actual da
te. These findings indicate that self-reports of mammography use by lo
w-income women are generally reliable.