Table 2.
Characteristics of the Study Population
| Eligibility Group, n(%) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characteristic | Abnormal Screening Mammogram (N = 392) | Clinical Breast Complaint (N = 187) |
| Age, y | ||
| <50 | 179 (45.7) | 114 (61.0)* |
| ≥50 | 213 (54.3) | 73 (39.0) |
| Race | ||
| White | 295 (76.0) | 136 (72.7) |
| African American | 60 (15.5) | 24 (12.8) |
| Hispanic | 16 (4.1) | 17 (9.1) |
| Other, nonwhite | 17 (4.4) | 10 (5.4) |
| Education | ||
| High school or less | 83 (21.6) | 44 (23.8) |
| Some college | 190 (49.4) | 96 (51.8) |
| Beyond college | 112 (29.1) | 45 (24.3) |
| Payer | ||
| Managed care | 241 (62.3) | 107 (57.2) |
| Commercial | 101 (26.1) | 51 (27.3) |
| Medicaid | 11 (2.8) | 7 (3.7) |
| Medicare | 18 (4.7) | 15 (8.0) |
| Uninsured | 16 (4.1) | 7 (3.7) |
| Family history of breast cancer | 102 (26.2) | 54 (29.4) |
| Degree of worry about breast cancer prior to mammogram | ||
| Not at all worried/a little worried | 335 (85.5) | 134 (71.7)* |
| Very/somewhat worried | 57 (14.5) | 53 (28.3) |
| Radiologist's recommendation for further care based on index mammogram | ||
| Biopsy | 51 (13.0) | 19 (10.2)* |
| Nonroutine follow-up mammogram (<12 mo) | 115 (29.3) | 11 (5.9) |
| Routine or 12-mo follow-up† | 165 (42.1) | 81 (43.3) |
| Follow-up as clinically indicated | 61 (15.6) | 76 (40.6) |
| Diagnosed with breast cancer during the 6 mo following the index mammogram | 13 (3.3) | 14 (7.5)‡ |
*
P,.005 for comparison between women with an abnormal mammogram and those with a clinical breast complaint.
†
Women in the abnormal mammogram group with the recommendation of routine follow-up were included in this study because of the performance of additional compression or magnification views, ultrasound, or other additional testing by the radiologist at the time of the index mammogram.
‡
P <.05 for comparison between women with and abnormal mammogram and those with a clinical breast complaint.