Dr Ray O’Connor on how the latest clinical studies cast light on the various social determinants of health The effects of socioeconomic deprivation are still to be seen in different areas of health. Here are some recent examples. a.
Screening mammography Approximately 40,000 women in the US die from breast cancer each year. Mammography is recommended to screen for breast cancer and reduce breast cancer mortality. Adverse social determinants of heath (SDOH) and health-related social needs (HRSNs) (e.
g., lack of transportation and social isolation) can be barriers to getting mammograms. Dr Ray O’Connor In this study 1 , data from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were analyzed to estimate the prevalence of mammography use within the previous two years among women aged 40–74 years by jurisdiction, age group, and sociodemographic factors.
The findings were that among women aged 50–74 years, mammography prevalence ranged from 83.2 per cent for those with no adverse SDOH and HRSNs to 65.7 per cent for those with three or more adverse SDOH and HRSNs.
Life dissatisfaction, feeling socially isolated, experiencing lost or reduced hours of employment, receiving food stamps, lacking reliable transportation, and reporting cost as a barrier for access to care were all strongly associated with not having had a mammogram within the previous two years. These factors must be taken into account when inviting women for screening mammography and steps taken to enhance th.