• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Events
  • Articles
  • Contact
kentuckiana health collaborative 1

Kentuckiana Health Collaborative

Building a bridge to better health, better care and better value

  • About
    • Mission
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
  • Strategies
    • Improve Healthcare Quality
    • Make Healthcare More Affordable
    • Build Healthier Communities
  • Initiatives
    • Community Measurement
    • COVID-19
    • Health Equity
    • Kentucky Core Healthcare Measures Set
    • National Hospital Price Transparency Study
    • Opioids and the Workplace
  • Members
    • About the Membership
    • Current Members
    • Member Resources
    • Member Portal
  • Join
Home / Measurement / Measure of the Month: Breast Cancer Screening

Measure of the Month: Breast Cancer Screening

Filed Under: Measurement October 17, 2017, Stephanie Clouser

It’s that time of year again, when we see more pink than usual – everywhere from consumer products like cereal boxes to athletes’ gloves and shoes on the football field. October is breast cancer awareness month, a month where special attention is given to breast cancer research and early screening efforts. The pink we see this month is the official color to signal breast cancer awareness. Approximately one in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer is the second most common newly diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer death among women in the US.

There is a special emphasis on appropriate screening and early detection of breast cancer, because when breast cancer is detected early, there are more treatment choices and better chances for survival. The five-year survival rate for women who are diagnosed at Stage 0 or Stage I cancer is nearly 100 percent, while women who aren’t diagnosed until Stage IV only have about 22 percent five-year survival rate.

The most common way to screen for breast cancer is to get a mammogram, an x-ray picture of the inside of the breast. Mammograms are important because they can find about 80 percent of all breast cancers. The KHC has measured proper screening for breast cancer at a community level since 2006. In that time, the Kentuckiana rate of screening has increased slightly from 78 percent to 80 percent.

Breast cancer screening rates vary widely throughout the state. Green indicates Area Development Districts (ADDs) that have rates above the state average. Red ADDs scored below the state average.

Statewide, the average screening rate for breast cancer is 75 percent, slightly above national averages. This translates into a near-average rate of breast cancer mortality – Kentucky ranked 27th in breast cancer mortality in 2014, the last year that data was available. The rates among Kentucky’s Area Development Districts (ADDs) vary widely, however, illustrating the disparities between care in the Commonwealth. Rates range from lows of 61 percent in the eastern part of the state to highs of 81 percent in the western part of the state.

During this month of increased breast awareness, take a moment to evaluate whether you are due for screening. Women ages 50 to 74 should have a mammogram at least every two years.

Similar Articles

KCHMS Blog Photo

Call for Applications – 2021 KY Core Healthcare Measures Set Committees

December 17, 2020

The Kentuckiana Health Collaborative is filling rosters for the selection of the 2021 Kentucky Core Healthcare Measures set (KCHMS), a core healthcare measures set for Kentucky’s primary care providers, with the ultimate goal of aligning the priorities of Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurers. The KCHMS was first released in June […]

Read More

Community Reports Highlight Improvements in Quality Metrics, but the Effects of COVID-19 on Primary Care Remain to be Seen

May 22, 2020

In April, the Kentuckiana Health Collaborative sent private reports to nearly 450 group practices throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Soon after, the KHC released its annual community reports, featuring highlights of where the community performs well and where there are gaps in care. On Thursday, the KHC held a webinar […]

Read More

Kentuckiana Health Collaborative Releases Community Measurement Reports, Collects Data on Opioid Prescribing

April 30, 2020

The Kentuckiana Health Collaborative is pleased to release the 2018 Community Measurement Reports, which also includes opioid prescribing data as part of the KHC’s partnership with the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort (KORE). For the last 15 years, the KHC has led the way in healthcare quality measurement and transparency through […]

Read More

Get the latest articles and updates.

Our email newsletter shares our latest research, initiatives and events.

Footer

  • About
    • Mission
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
  • Members
    • About the Membership
    • Member Resources
    • Join the Membership
  • Strategies
    • Improve Healthcare Quality
    • Make Healthcare More Affordable
    • Build Healthier Communities
  • Initiatives
    • Community Measurement
    • COVID-19
    • Health Equity
    • National Hospital Price Transparency Study
    • Opioids and the Workplace
  • Connect
    • Events
    • Articles
    • Contact
khc logo blue

(502) 238-3603
1415 Bardstown Road, Mailbox 19, Louisville, KY 40204

Copyright © 2021 · Kentuckiana Health Collaborative · Privacy Policy · Sitemap · Stop Animations

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok