Self-reported mental health status and recent mammography screening

The purpose of this study was to assess the association between self-perceived mental health status and mammography screening in Kentucky.

Using a cross-sectional design, we examined survey data from the 2002 Kentucky Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for women aged > or =40. Mental health status was measured by the reported number of days that mental health was not good; the number of days feeling sad, blue, or depressed; and the number of days feeling worried, tense, or anxious. The outcome was mammography within the last 2 years. Three logistic regression analyses were performed, one with each of the mental health status questions as the predictor variable. Analyses controlled for age, race, marital status, education, income, and health insurance status.

The numbers of poor mental health days, depressed days, and anxious days were found to be significant or near-significant predictors of recent mammography. Odds ratios (ORs) comparing women reporting 30 poor mental health days, depressed days, or anxious days with similar women reporting zero days were estimated to be 1.68 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-2.63), 1.49 (0.93-2.40), and 1.46 (0.96-2.23), respectively.

Self-reported poor mental health, depression, and anxiety may be associated with nonreceipt of regular mammography screening. How mental health symptoms and self-reported poor mental health status contribute to decreased mammography screening should be explored.