Utilization of screening mammography as a preventive practice prior to initiating a population-based breast cancer screening program.

Factors associated with the level of utilization of screening mammography as a preventive practice were analyzed prior to initiating a population-based breast cancer screening program. A questionnaire was used to collect information about screening mammography utilization during the last 4 years among women invited to enroll in the program. Sociodemographic and health factors, and health services utilization were studied. A screening mammography in the last 4 years had been performed on 59.3% of the 8867 women interviewed. The utilization of mammography was higher among women who were younger, had a higher education level, or had previous visits to a physician (P < 0.001). The variables more strongly associated with use of screening mammography were: visit to a gynecologist and performance of a pap smear. Also associated with the utilization of screening mammography were: personal history of breast pathology, family history of breast cancer, breast self-examination, and recent visit to a general practitioner. Self-perceived health presented an inverse relation with screening mammography use (P < 0.001). The use of screening mammography appears to have increased in recent years, although inequalities persist which the breast cancer screening programs help to modulate. Mammographic frequency only would be deemed appropriate by the European guidelines in fewer than one-half of the cases.