Mammography utilization after a benign breast biopsy among Hispanic and non-Hispanic women

BACKGROUND. In spite of the effectiveness of mammography screening for earl y detection of breast carcinoma, the use of screening mammography varies wi dely across racial and ethnic groups. Recently, concerns have been raised a bout the potential adverse effect a benign breast biopsy may have on subseq uent mammography utilization, including subsequent use among minority women . METHODS, Computerized health care claims data for 1991 through 1997 from a managed care organization were used to compare mammography use among Hispan ic and non-Hispanic women who had had a mammogram followed by an incisional or excisional benign breast biopsy to women who had had a mammogram and no biopsy. Through survival analysis methods, the time-to-next mammogram was compared among these three groups. RESULTS. The sample included 693 (3.2%) and 289 (1.3%) women who had had a mammogram followed by an incisional biopsy or an excisional biopsy, respect ively, and 20,540 (95.4%) women who had had a mammogram and no biopsy. Both Hispanic and non-Hispanic women with a biopsy returned sooner for subseque nt mammograms than women without a biopsy (P < 0.0001). Hispanic women with out a biopsy returned later than non-Hispanic women without a biopsy (P < 0 .0001). However, Hispanic women with an excisional biopsy returned sooner t han non-Hispanic women (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS. Within a managed care organization, both Hispanic and non-Hisp anic women who had had a mammogram followed by a benign breast biopsy retur ned sooner for a subsequent mammogram than women who had had a mammogram an d no biopsy. However, ethnic differences in time-to-next mam mogram were ob served for women without a biopsy and those with an excisional biopsy. Hisp anic women without a biopsy returned later for a subsequent mammogram than non-Hispanic women in similar groups, but those with an excisional biopsy r eturned sooner. (C) 2001 American Cancer Society.