Skip Navigation LinksSkip Navigation Links
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Safer Healthier People
Blue White
Blue White
bottom curve
 CDC Home Search Health Topics A-Z spacer spacer
spacer
Blue curve MMWR spacer
spacer
spacer


Persons using assistive technology might not be able to fully access information in this file. For assistance, please send e-mail to: mmwrq@cdc.gov. Type 508 Accommodation and the title of the report in the subject line of e-mail.

Announcement: Breast Cancer Awareness Month --- October 2009

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer in women, and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women (1). In addition, approximately 30% of women aged ≥40 years have a disability (2), and during 2008 women aged ≥40 years with a disability were less likely to have a mammogram (72.2%) than were women without a disability (77.8%) (2). To decrease delayed diagnosis of breast cancer, health-care providers should encourage and schedule mammograms every 1--2 years for all women aged ≥40 years, including those with disabilities.

Women with disabilities disproportionately encounter barriers to preventative health care, which can be reduced by improving environmental access, enhancing provider training and education, increasing outreach efforts to women with disabilities, and improving overall health education. To encourage women with disabilities aged ≥40 years to get screened for breast cancer, CDC has launched the Right to Know campaign (available at http://www.cdc.gov/righttoknow). The campaign includes resources and materials that can assist health-care professionals, organizations, and their partners in effectively communicating the need for early and regular breast cancer screening for women living with physical disabilities.  

References

  1. US Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States cancer statistics: 1999--2005 cancer incidence and mortality data. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC and National Cancer Institute; 2009.
  2. CDC. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey data. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2008.

Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

References to non-CDC sites on the Internet are provided as a service to MMWR readers and do not constitute or imply endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CDC is not responsible for the content of pages found at these sites. URL addresses listed in MMWR were current as of the date of publication.

All MMWR HTML versions of articles are electronic conversions from typeset documents. This conversion might result in character translation or format errors in the HTML version. Users are referred to the electronic PDF version (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr) and/or the original MMWR paper copy for printable versions of official text, figures, and tables. An original paper copy of this issue can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402-9371; telephone: (202) 512-1800. Contact GPO for current prices.

**Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be addressed to mmwrq@cdc.gov.

Date last reviewed: 10/15/2009

HOME  |  ABOUT MMWR  |  MMWR SEARCH  |  DOWNLOADS  |  RSS |  CONTACT
POLICY  |  DISCLAIMER  |  ACCESSIBILITY

Safer, Healthier People

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd, MailStop E-90, Atlanta, GA 30333, U.S.A

 USA.GovDHHS

Department of Health
and Human Services