Disparities in screening mammography utilization among Hispanic women in rural Texas from 2002 to 2018

To examine the trends of racial/ethnic and urban–rural disparities in screening mammography use with a focus on Hispanic women in rural Texas, as well as to further investigate barriers to mammography screening practices.

A serial cross-sectional study was conducted on screening mammography including eligible female respondents (≥ 40 years) from the Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey from 2002 to 2018.

Weighted descriptive analyses showed persistent racial/ethnic and urban–rural disparities in mammography screening rates among eligible women (≥ 40 years) in Texas. Overall, the mammography screening rates for women in rural areas were significantly lower than women in urban areas with a mean rate of 64.09% versus 70.89% (p < 0.001). Rural Hispanic women had the lowest mean mammography screening rate (55.98%) among all eligible women which is 16.27% below the mean mammography screening rate of non-Hispanic white women in urban areas. Weighted logistic regression model revealed that women with no health insurance or primary care providers were 52% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.36–0.63, p < 0.001) or 54% (95% CI 0.35–0.6, p < 0.001) less likely having an up-to-date mammography screening compared with women with health insurance or primary care providers, respectively.

Our study demonstrated significant and persistent racial and urban–rural disparities in screening mammography utilization among Hispanic women compared with non-Hispanic white women from 2002 to 2018. Healthcare access is a major contributor to these disparities. It highlights the need for wide-scale interventions from public health and policymakers targeting under screened racial minorities and rural regions population to promote screening mammography services among disadvantaged population.