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American Journal of Public Health logoLink to American Journal of Public Health
. 1998 Apr;88(4):586–589. doi: 10.2105/ajph.88.4.586

Unemployment and the likelihood of detecting early-stage breast cancer.

R A Catalano 1, W A Satariano 1
PMCID: PMC1508418  PMID: 9550999

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that unexpectedly high unemployment in a community is associated with reduced odds that registered breast tumors are local. METHODS: The hypothesis was tested with data from San Francisco for the 132 months beginning with January 1983. RESULTS: Registered breast tumors were less likely to be local during periods of unexpectedly high unemployment (8% less likely among non-Hispanic White women and 24% less likely among African-American women). CONCLUSIONS: Job loss may restrict access to health services. Fear of job loss may also distract women from breast self-examination and the identification of suspicious breast signs.

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Selected References

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