A new study highlights the critical role mobile mammography plays in increasing breast cancer screenings among women with low adherence to traditional facility-based services.
Researchers analyzed data from 2.6 million Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries between 2004 and 2021, finding that mobile mammography effectively reached women in underserved communities, complementing facility-based options.
“Women of color in rural and underserved communities face substantial barriers to accessing breast cancer screening services,” said Dr. Bhavika Patel, a professor of radiology at Mayo Clinic Arizona. “Mobile mammography is an innovative and practical solution to deliver lifesaving screenings and ensure these women get the critical care they need.”
Key findings The study, by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute and published in Clinical Breast Cancer, revealed that only 49.5% of participants had a mammogram during the 17-year period, with just 0.4% receiving mobile mammograms. Women using mobile mammography were more likely to be younger, non-white, and living in rural, low-income communities. Heat maps showed mobile mammography serving areas where facility-based services were sparse, underscoring its complementary role.
American Indian or Alaska Native women were 453% more likely to use mobile mammography than white women. Similarly, women in rural areas or low-income communities were 210% and 41% more likely, respectively, to use mobile units than their urban or higher-income counterparts.
“Indigenous women had the lowest rate of screening mammography among minority racial and ethnic groups,” noted Dr. Eric Christensen, research director at the Neiman Institute. “Our findings suggest mobile mammography can significantly improve screening rates in underserved populations.”