Use of Cancer Screening Tests, United States, 2023.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Cancer Screening

Background:

• Cancer screening remains a critical tool for early detection and improved patient outcomes.
• National health surveys provide essential data for monitoring screening rates and identifying disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate national rates of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer (CRC) screening among eligible US adults in 2023.
• To compare 2023 screening rates with Healthy People 2030 targets and previous survey years (2019, 2021).

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2023 National Health Interview Survey.
• Estimated proportions of adults up-to-date with recommended screening for breast (50-74 years), cervical (21-65 years), and CRC (45-75 years).
• Performed age-standardized comparisons to US 2000 standard population and Healthy People 2030 targets.

Main Results:

• In 2023, 80.0% of women (50-74) had up-to-date mammography, 75.4% of women (21-65) had up-to-date cervical screening, and 67.4% of adults (45-75) had up-to-date CRC screening.
• CRC screening was lower in younger adults (45-49 years) compared to older adults (50-75 years).
• Mammography use met HP2030 targets, while CRC screening fell short; screening rates varied significantly by sociodemographic factors and access barriers.

Conclusions:

• While a majority of adults were up-to-date with breast and cervical cancer screenings in 2023, significant proportions remained unscreened for CRC (1 in 3) and breast cancer (1 in 5).
• Continued monitoring is essential to track progress towards national screening goals and address identified disparities.