Women who have diabetes are less likely to attend for a mammogram, thereby missing out on early diagnosis of breast cancer.

It's already known that people with chronic illness use health care services less - rather than more - than those in good health. This reduced utilisation extends to breast screening, according to a new study.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic surveyed 424 women with diabetes, aged between 50 and 75 years, comparing them with control subjects without diabetes. They found that 78.1 per cent of the diabetes group were having mammograms to screen for early breast cancer, compared to 84.9 per cent of the controls. The reasons why rates of mammography are lower among women with diabetes is unclear. The researchers wonder whether managing diabetes takes up so much time and attention that there is little room for other aspects of health care.

Since women with diabetes run the same risk of breast cancer as the rest of the population, it's important they don't miss out when it comes to screening. Maybe doctors could do a bit more to encourage these women to attend for their regular mammography exam?

Source

Diabetes Care December 2001