Abstract

In the past few decades, age adjusted breast cancer mortality rates in Mexico have risen from 3.7 to 10.8 per 100,000 women, making breast cancer the leading cause of cancer deaths in women in Mexico. Breast cancer in Mexico tends to be detected in late stages. Only 5-10% of breast cancer cases are detected localized to the breast while such cancers constitute 50% of the cases detected in the United States. Further, as of 2006, only 22% of Mexican women between 40-69 years reported receiving a mammogram in the past year. Various studies have examined barriers impeding participation in breast cancer screening in Mexican women. These studies have identified factors such as lower socioeconomic status, less education, rural location and indigenous origin to predict poor participation with breast cancer screening. Additionally, qualitative research suggests additional barriers in stigma and lack of support from male partners. These studies have focused on barriers to self and clinical breast examination rather than mammography. Examination of determinants of mammography use are limited. This study aims to describe factors associated with mammography use in a nationally representative sample of Mexican women using data from the 2005-2006 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT)