Study: Hispanics Go Longer Between Mammograms

Hispanic women may be less diligent about getting follow-up mammograms if their initial screenings were normal, according to researchers at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.

Researchers studied the screening rates for more than 21,000 women in managed care plans in New Mexico and found that among women whose initial mammogram showed nothing suspicious, Hispanic women had a longer lag time until their next mammogram than other women.

However, there was no difference in follow-up mammogram rates among women who had suspicious tissue biopsied after initial screenings. Hispanic women who had breast tissue removed for testing actually tended to return for follow-up mammograms sooner compared to other ethnic groups, according to the study published in the journal Cancer.

Because researchers only studied women in region around the University of New Mexico, the results of the study may not be applicable to all Hispanic women.

Other sources: Reuters