Impact of the 2009 United States Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations for Breast Cancer Screening on Utilization of Mammography: A Longitudinal Data Analysis

Nengliang (Aaron) Yao, Virginia Commonwealth University
Cathy Bradley, Virginia Commonwealth University
Patricia Y. Miranda, Pennsylvania State University

In 2009, The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against routine screening mammography for women ages 40 to 49, and recommended biennial rather than annual mammography for women ages 50 to 74 for women of average risk. This recommendation caused significant backlash from patient advocates and physicians. The impact of these controversial recommendations on mammography utilization among American women is unknown. In this study, we used nationally representative longitudinal survey data to compare self-reported mammography screening in 2008, 2009, and 2010. We found that mammography rates remained stable among women after 2009, suggesting both that patient and physician behaviors were unaltered by the USPSTF guidelines in the short-term.