Screening Mammography Need, Utilization and Capacity in Chicago: Can We Fulfill Our Mission and Our Promises?

There is a widening Black:White breast cancer mortality disparity in Chicago (Figure 1). In 1980 the mortality rates were equal; by 2005 Black women were nearly twice as likely to die from breast cancer (Ansell et al, 2009; Whitman et al, 2011). This disparity has been increasing since the early 1990’s because the breast cancer mortality rates for Black women in Chicago have remained constant while the rates for White women have decreased substantially (Whitman et al, 2011). Additionally, this disparity in Chicago is unusually high. For example, in 2005 the breast cancer mortality rate for Black women in Chicago was 43.2 per 100,000 population and the rate for White women was 21.8 per 100,000 population (Whitman et al, 2011). This equates to a rate ratio of 1.98 (43.2/21.8) which is interpreted by stating that in 2005 Black women were 98% more likely to die from breast cancer than White women in Chicago. More recent data suggests that Black women in Chicago are 62% more likely to die from breast cancer using the 2005-2007 three-year average (38.3/23.6=1.62) (Figure 1). Disparities are seen in other cities as well. For example, in New York City the Black:White breast cancer disparity in 2005 was 37% (Whitman et al, 2011). These data suggest that Black women in Chicago are not benefiting from the technological advancements that have been made in early detection and treatment over the last two decades (Berry et al, 2005; Smith-Bindman et al, 2006; Tehranifar et al, 2009).