Changes in Breast Cancer Screening Prevalence in the United States during the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2018 to 2022

Annual mammography screening declined year-on-year during the COVID-19 pandemic through 2021. This study examined changes in 2022 compared with 2018 in the national prevalence of self-reported up-to-date mammography.

Using 2018 to 2022 data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we assess relative changes defined as annual prevalence ratios (aPR) in the SR receipt of past-year and up-to-date (UTD) breast cancer screening (biannual mammography in women of ages 50–74 years) during the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic overall and by sociodemographic characteristics.

UTD breast cancer screening declined for the first time since 2018 [2018 compared with 2022, from 78.7%–76.6%; aPR, 0.97; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.96–0.98] despite a small increase in past-year breast cancer screening from 2020 to 2022 (57.9%–59.6%; aPR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01–1.05). This translated to 747,791 fewer women reporting UTD with recommended breast cancer screening in 2022 versus 2018. UTD breast cancer screening declines between 2018 and 2022 were largest for American Indian/Alaska Native women (74.8%–62.2%; aPR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.74–0.93), women with less formal educational attainment (< high school: 73.1%–65.5%; aPR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.85–0.95), and women without a usual source of care (48%–42.9%; aPR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78–0.92).

Previously noted pandemic-related declines in past-year breast cancer screening now reflect in women reporting being UTD, with the largest declines in American Indian/Alaska Native women and those with lower socioeconomic status.

Future studies should monitor screening prevalence in relation to breast cancer diagnostic stage overall and by sociodemographic groups.