Mortality outcome among medically underserved women screened through a publicly funded breast cancer control program, 1997–2007

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess treatment and mortality differences between women diagnosed with breast cancer through Nebraska’s Every Woman Matters (EWM) program and women diagnosed through other sources. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed using 10 years of Nebraska Cancer Registry and EWM program data on women aged 40–74 years. This study used chi-square and multivariate logistic regression with mortality as the outcome of interest. Results From 1997 to 2007, 4,739 women were diagnosed with breast cancer, 435 (9.1 %) of whom were diagnosed through EWM. The EWM and non-EWM groups differed significantly in age, race, marital status, location of residence at the time of diagnosis, neighborhood poverty level at the time of diagnosis, tumor stage at diagnosis, and chemotherapy. No significant differences were found between the two groups in radiation therapy, surgical resection, and hormone therapy. In both 1- and 5-year multivariate mortality models, the odds of dying for those in the EWM program were not statistically significantly different from the odds of dying for those not in the EWM program. In the 1-year mortality model, residents of urban metropolitan counties (OR 2.079; 95 % CI 1.663–2.598) had an increased odds of dying compared to residents of rural counties. In the 5-year mortality model, black women (OR 2.239; 95 % CI 1.453–3.450), residents of areas with a high (more than 20 %) neighborhood poverty level at the time of diagnosis (OR 1.589; 95 % CI 1.204–2.097), and unmarried women (OR 1.334; 95 % CI 1.164–1.528) had higher odds of death. Both groups have received similar treatments. Conclusions Targeted outreach to vulnerable groups for cancer screening may improve cancer outcomes and reduce disparities.