Abstract A96: Breast cancer screening resources and early-stage diagnosis in Appalachia: A geospatial perspective

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Abstract Background: National Cancer Institute has designated Appalachia as a priority area characterized by significant disparities in cancer outcomes. However, little research focuses on the availability of cancer care resources in this region and how resource availability may relate to cancer outcomes. This paper will describe the distribution of breast cancer screening resources in Appalachia and examine the relationship between screening resources and breast cancer stage at diagnosis at the population level. Method: Early stage breast cancer as a percent of all breast cancer cases are computed based on the county-level registry data from the four Appalachian states during 2000–2008. Availability of breast cancer screening providers and facilities are estimated for these Appalachian states. Descriptive analysis, exploratory spatial data analysis, and spatial regression are conducted. Results: Appalachian counties have significantly fewer primary physicians, OB/GYN specialists, and diagnostic radiologists per capita than non-Appalachian counties. Spatial analysis demonstrates moderate clustering of scarce breast cancer screening resources and low percentages of early stage breast cancer in West Virginia and Appalachian Kentucky. Those diagnosed at early stages were 67.92% of all Appalachian cases vs. 68.34% of non-Appalachian breast cancer patients. The number of diagnostic radiologists per capita is significantly associated with the percentage of early stage breast cancer incidence when controlling for covariates such as county level poverty rates, uninsurance rate, percentage of adults with college degree, and primary care resources. Conclusions: Fewer diagnostic radiologists per capita in West Virginia and Appalachia Kentucky is associated with lower percentage of early stage breast cancer incidence in the Central Appalachia region. Public health interventions should include policies and regulations to improve breast cancer screening resources in this region. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):A96.