Family Rural women have limited access to breast cancer detection Regular mammograms are key to saving lives, but distance is a factor in many rural areas. By Lisa Foust Prater Lisa Foust Prater Lisa Foust Prater is the Family & Farmstead Editor for Successful Farming, sharing interesting family features, heartfelt editorial columns, and important health and safety information. Her favorite thing about her job is meeting interesting people, learning their stories, and sharing them with our readers.Lisa started her career with Successful Farming magazine in 1999, working primarily for the web team and writing product reviews for the magazine. She later wrote for the Living the Country Life magazine and website and has written and edited several cookbooks and other books for Successful Farming and Living the Country Life. Successful Farming's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 25, 2023 Close Photo: kali9, Getty Images October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Fundraisers are held to support research, and pink ribbons are everywhere. Getting regular mammograms reduces breast cancer mortality, yet only about half of eligible women in the United States get the exam, according to a report from the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Amy K. Patel, MD, is the medical director of The Breast Care Center at Liberty Hospital in Liberty, Missouri, serving urban, suburban, and rural populations. In the RSNA report, she says some women in the hospital’s rural service area in northwest Missouri have to drive more than 45 minutes to a breast imaging center. Many rural women in other parts of the country also struggle to find screenings nearby. According to a study from the University of North Carolina, nearly 200 rural hospitals have closed since 2005. Hundreds more are at risk of closing. “There are still counties we’re not reaching, so it’s important we look at all avenues to serve these patients, from boots-on-the-ground advocacy to mobile mammography,” Patel says in the RSNA report. “It’s so imperative to address these access issues.” Late-stage diagnosis When rural women have breast cancer, it’s often diagnosed at a later stage than their urban counterparts, according to the National Institutes of Health. Their survival rate is also lower than urban women because the earlier breast cancer is detected and treated, the higher the chances are of survival. The best way to catch it early is through regular screenings. So why aren’t rural women getting screened as often as they should? One reason is taking time off work or finding child care adds to the expense, especially if travel is involved. Mothers also tend to put their own needs last. Women without insurance should not assume they can’t afford a mammogram. The Centers for Disease Control’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program provides free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services for uninsured, low-income women. To see if you qualify, call 888-842-6355 or visit cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp. Get screened Knowing how often screenings are needed can be confusing. The American Cancer Society recommends these guidelines: Women age 40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual screenings.Women age 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.Women age 55 and older should switch to every two years or continue annually.Women with family history or other factors may need an MRI as well. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit