What Is the Right Cancer Screening Rate?
Authors: Russell Harris
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2000)

Editorials2 May 2000What Is the Right Cancer Screening Rate?Russell Harris, MD, MPHRussell Harris, MD, MPHUniversity of North Carolina School of Medicine; Chapel Hill, NC 27599 (Harris)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-132-9-200005020-00008 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Recent commentaries have described growing concern about quality of care in the United States (1, 2). The problem of “medical mistakes” is getting increased media attention. However, the issue of quality is not new to physicians, who are trained to always do the best for their patients. What is new is the way that we are now asked to think and act about quality. Cancer screening—specifically Papanicolaou (Pap) smears and mammography—provides an interesting case study of the old and new ways of thought.For more than a decade, research has consistently shown that screening for cervical and breast cancer is ...References1. Bodenheimer T. The American health care system—the movement for improved quality in health care. N Engl J Med. 1999;340:488-92. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Chassin MR, Galvin RW. The urgent need to improve health care quality. Institute of Medicine National Roundtable on Health Care Quality. JAMA. 1998;280:1000-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. . Use of mammography services by women aged >or = 65 years enrolled in Medicare—United States, 1991-1993. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1995;44:777-81. MedlineGoogle Scholar4. Lurie N, Slater J, McGovern P, Ekstrum J, Quam L, Margolis K. Preventive care for women. Does the sex of the physician matter? N Engl J Med. 1993;329:478-82. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. 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Wee CC, McCarthy EP, Davis RB, Phillips RS. Screening for cervical and breast cancer: is obesity an unrecognized barrier to preventive care? Ann Intern Med. 2000;132:697-704. LinkGoogle Scholar16. McGovern PG, Lurie N, Margolis KL, Slater JS. Accuracy of self-report of mammography and Pap smear in a low-income urban population. Am J Prev Med. 1998;14:201-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar17. Rowland ML. Self-reported weight and height. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;52:1125-33. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar18. Chassin MR. Is health care ready for six sigma quality? Milbank Q. 1998;76:565-91. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar19. O'Connor AM, Rostom A, Fiset V, Tetroe J, Entwistle V, Llewellyn-Thomas H, et al . Decision aids for patients facing health treatment or screening decisions: systematic review. BMJ. 1999;319:731-4. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of North Carolina School of Medicine; Chapel Hill, NC 27599 (Harris)Corresponding Author: Russell Harris, MD, MPH, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Medical School Building, CB 7508, Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7508. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoScreening for Cervical and Breast Cancer: Is Obesity an Unrecognized Barrier to Preventive Care? Christina C. Wee , Ellen P. McCarthy , Roger B. Davis , and Russell S. Phillips Metrics Cited ByInadequate cervical cancer screening among mid-aged Australian women who have experienced partner violenceDecision Making in Prostate-Specific Antigen ScreeningRural-Urban Differences in Ductal Carcinoma in Situ as a Proxy for Mammography Use Over TimeOutreach: targeting high-risk women through community partnershipsScreening mammography for frail older womenUse of Screening and Preventive Services Among Women With DisabilitiesTiempos de demora en el diagnóstico del cáncer 2 May 2000Volume 132, Issue 9Page: 732-734KeywordsCancer screeningForecastingHealth care qualityHealth insuranceHealth surveysMammographyObesityOverweightQuality indicatorsSocioeconomic status Issue Published: 2 May 2000 CopyrightCopyright © 2000 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...