Mobile mammography in New York City: analysis of 32,350 women utilizing a screening mammogram program
van den Bruele, Astrid Botty; Sevilimedu, Varadan; Jochelson, Maxine; Formenti, Silvia; Norton, Larry; Sacchini, Virgilio
Why this matters
Scale matters when arguing that mobile mammography reaches people the system misses. Across 32,350 women screened in New York City between 2014 and 2019, 63 percent reported household income of $25,000 or less, 30 percent had no insurance, and 68 breast cancers were detected.
Abstract
Mobile mammography vans (mammovans) may help close the gap to access of breast cancer screening by providing resources to underserved communities. Minimal data exists on the populations served, the ability of mammovans to reach underserved populations, and the outcomes of participants. We sought to determine the demographic characteristics, number of breast cancers diagnosed, and number of women who used the American Italian Cancer Foundation (AICF) Mobile, No-Cost Breast Cancer Screening Program within the five boroughs of New York City. Data were collected by the AICF from 2014 to 2019 on a voluntary basis from participants at each screening location. Women aged 40 to 79 years who had not had a mammogram in the previous 12 months were invited to participate. Each participant underwent a clinical breast exam by a nurse practitioner followed by a screening mammogram. There were 32,350 participants in this study. Sixty-three percent reported an annual household income of $25,000 or less, and 30% did not have health insurance. More than half of participants identified as either African American (28%) or Hispanic (27%). Additional testing was performed for 5359 women found to have abnormal results on screening. In total, 68 cases of breast cancer were detected. Breast cancer disparities are multifactorial, with the greatest factor being limited access to care. Mobile, no-cost mammogram screening programs show great promise in helping to close the gap to screening access.