Table 1.

Patient and Clinical Characteristics and Receipt of Brachytherapy

Characteristic	No. of Patients	%	Patients Who Received Brachytherapy (%)	P*
Total No. of patients	29,648		15.8
Age at breast-conserving surgery, years				.95
66-69	7,879	26.6	16.0
70-74	8,835	29.8	15.7
75-79	6,871	23.2	15.6
80-84	4,435	15.0	15.8
85-94	1,628	5.5	15.5
Race				.11
White	27,050	91.2	15.9
Black	1,787	6.0	14.1
Other	811	2.7	14.9
Year of surgery				.66
2008	19,304	65.1	15.7
2009	10,344	34.9	15.9
Residence in metro county				< .001
Yes	23,913	80.7	16.4
No	5,735	19.3	13.2
Median household income				< .001
Q1 (≤ $33,208)	5,724	19.3	15.4
Q2 ($33,209-$39,659)	5,723	19.3	14.5
Q3 ($39,661-$47,295)	5,728	19.3	16.0
Q4 ($47,300-$60,118)	5,727	19.3	16.1
Q5 (≥ $60,124)	5,723	19.3	16.0
Unknown	1,023	3.5	19.9
Comorbidity				.41
0 conditions	16,925	57.1	15.6
1-2 conditions	10,478	35.3	16.1
≥ 3 conditions	2,245	7.6	15.1
Tumor laterality				< .001
Right-sided	12,527	42.3	15.8
Left-sided	12,828	43.3	16.6
Unknown	4,293	14.5	13.3
Type of radiation facility				.01
Hospital-based	18,221	61.4	15.3
Free-standing	11,435	38.6	16.4
Axillary node dissection				< .001
No	8,684	29.3	12.1
Yes	20,964	70.7	17.3
Chemotherapy				< .001
No chemotherapy	25,956	87.6	16.4
Chemotherapy started in month prior through month after surgery	1,211	4.1	7.0
Chemotherapy started in 31-365 days after surgery	2,481	8.4	13.3
Hospital admission†				.005
No	25,671	86.6	16.0
Yes	3,977	13.4	14.2
Screening mammogram†				< .001
No	6,840	23.1	13.5
Yes	22,808	76.9	16.4
Flu shot†				.13
No	12,440	42.0	15.4
Yes	17,208	58.0	16.0
Visit to primary care physician†				.002
No	876	3.0	12.0
Yes	28,772	97.1	15.9

^*P value is for χ² test between each covariate and receipt of brachytherapy.

^†In the year before breast-conserving surgery.