Participation in the German mammography screening program: about 70% of women participate at least once between age 50 and 60

Purpose The proportion of women participating in the German mammography screening program (MSP) is only 50% from a cross-sectional perspective. We aimed to determine longitudinal participation over 11 years (from age 50 to 60). Methods We used cohort data with screening information from the cancer registry of North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW), covering the entire population of this federal state, and health claims data covering ~ 20% of the German population. We followed women born in 1959 from 2009 until 2019 and determined the proportion with ≥ 1 MSP participation. We repeated the analyses for other birth cohorts (1960–1962) and described participation patterns including age at first participation. Results The proportion with ≥ 1 MSP participation was ~ 70%. This was consistent across both data sources for the 1959 birth cohort (NRW: 75.4%; health claims data: 71.0%) and across birth cohorts (1960: 70.4%, 1961: 70.1%, 1962: 69.7%). Among participating women, ~ 90% were between age 50 and 53 at first participation; 52.4% did not participate regularly. Conclusion The proportion of women participating at least once in the MSP in 11 years is substantially higher compared to the proportion of invited women participating per year (cross-sectional perspective). Studies are required that explore reasons for irregular participation.