Ds. May et Ae. Trontell, MAMMOGRAPHY USE BY ELDERLY WOMEN - A METHODOLOGICAL COMPARISON OF 2 NATIONAL DATA SOURCES, Annals of epidemiology, 8(7), 1998, pp. 439-444
PURPOSE: Estimates of mammography utilization vary considerably, depen
ding on the data source. Among women aged 65 years and older, recent e
stimates of annual mammography derived from the 1992 National Health I
nterview Survey (NHIS) were 50% higher than estimates from Medicare cl
aims. We investigated possible reasons for the different estimates. ME
THODS: We identified differences in the populations covered by the two
data sources and made appropriate adjustments. Differences due to age
were addressed by age restriction and age adjustment. Women in health
maintenance organizations were eliminated from the NHIS sample so it
more closely resembled the Medicare database, and estimates of mammogr
aphy utilization by noninstitutionalized women were derived for Medica
re to increase comparability with NHIS. By using the Medicare Current
Beneficiary Survey to obtain individual-level comparisons between self
-report and claims, we explored potential biases in self-reported data
and missing claims. RESULTS: Differences between the sample populatio
ns accounted for more than one fourth of the rate difference. About ha
lf of the difference could be attributed to erroneous self-reports, bi
ases in self-reported dates (forward and reverse telescoping) and miss
ing Medicare claims. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the discrepancy between the
two data sources can be plausibly explained. However, caution must be
used in using either data source alone, or both together, to represent
the ''true'' mammography rate. Ann Epidemiol 1998;8:439-444. Publishe
d by Elsevier Science Inc.