More than one in three U.S. women ages 35 to 75 have skipped or delayed a recommended mammogram, according to a survey of 1,000 women conducted by Hologic.
Among women who were overdue, nearly one in four said a direct recommendation from their doctor would most motivate them to get screened. Other findings include the following:
- 20% of eligible women who have never been screened said they were never told they needed a mammogram.
- 36% did not know or did not believe that preventive screening mammograms are covered by most insurance plans at no cost.
- 43% believed, or were unsure whether, mammograms expose patients to dangerous levels of radiation.
- 57% did not know that dense breasts increase breast cancer risk, and 40% of women with dense breasts said they were never recommended supplemental screening.
Hologic is continuing its #BustTheMyth patient education campaign on breast cancer, breast density, and screening for the third consecutive year.
