Relationship between breast cancer and breast screening in Hungary analysed on the basis of the National Health Insurance Fund database

Abstract

The effectiveness of different screening programs can be characterized by the number of subjects taking part in the programs and the number of persons found positive. In this study the outcome of mammographic screening in Hungary was examined using data obtained from the National Health Insurance Fund database. The author posed questions whether breast cancer patients participated in screening before the discovery of their disease and, if yes, what was its outcome. It was also examined whether the disease had been discovered by screening or not. The results indicated that the willingness of subjects with breast cancer to participate in breast cancer screening was 38.8%, and this percentage did not significantly differ from that found in the average population. Because the percentage of screened subjects was less than the originally planned 60%, more efforts to increase willingness for mammographic screening should be invested. Data analysis also points out that providers do not always report correct ICD codes to health insurance authorities.