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Study Points to Care Disparities Between Urban and Rural Women with Breast Cancer
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A new study shows that rural women with breast cancer receive poorer quality care than their urban counterparts. Elizabeth Habermann, Ph.D., associate scientific director, Surgical Outcomes, Mayo Clinic Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, says, “These study results are concerning. All women should receive guideline-recommended cancer care, regardless of where they live.”
Using the 1996 – 2008 California Cancer Registry, researchers at Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota and Georgetown University analyzed the care given to nearly 350,000 urban and rural women with all stages of breast cancer. Although there were no significant mortality differences between the two groups, researchers found that rural women were less likely to have their estrogen receptor status tested and their tumor graded — two important elements of the diagnostic work-up for breast cancer.
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Journalists: B-roll and sound bites with Dr. Habermann are available in the downloads.