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CONTEXT: Racial differences in receipt of cancer prevention services may be related to poorer outcomes for minorities. Understanding reasons for such differences could help target appropriate interventions. OBJECTIVES: To determine if racial differences exist in the use of cancer prevention services among older blacks and whites and to explore explanatory factors. DESIGN: Sixth follow-up survey of probability sample, four-stage stratified household design with 4,162 at baseline in 1986-1987 and 2,846 surveyed in 1992-1993. SETTING: The Piedmont area of North Carolina. PARTICIPANTS: At time of follow-up survey in 1992-1993 there were 1,486 women and 726 men age >70 years, of whom 1,246 were black and 966 were white. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported use of Papanicolou (pap) testing, clinical breast examination, mammography, rectal examination, and fecal occult blood testing on a regular basis within the last two years. RESULTS: Compared with older whites, older black persons are less likely to receive pap test (48.1% black vs 56.6% white, P < .001), clinical breast examination (64.6% black vs 69.2% white, P < .007), mammography (30.2% black vs 40.5% white, P < .001), rectal examination (50.2% black vs 62.4% white, P < .001), and fecal occult blood testing (37.5% black vs 46.2% white, P < .001). Effect of race on receipt of cancer prevention services was not significant when levels of education, income, and insurance coverage were considered. CONCLUSION: Racial differences exist in the use of cancer prevention services among older Americans. However, these differences are related to educational, income, and insurance differences between blacks and whites.
Hegarty et al. (Sat,) studied this question.