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Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Postmenopausal Women Less Concerned about Breast
Cancer than Younger Women
Actress, breast cancer survivor Diahann Carroll
joins effort to kelp women understand breast health as they age
 July
25, 2006 – Older women, the most at risk for developing breast cancer,
were the least likely to realize it according to a recent, national
survey. Being over age 50 places a woman at an increased risk for
developing breast cancer. Yet, only 37 percent of women aged 55 or older
listed breast cancer as a disease they were most concerned about as they
age.
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of
63, and because I had no family history of breast cancer, I didn't know
I was at risk just because of my age," said Academy Award Nominee,
Actress and breast cancer survivor Diahann Carroll.
"Now I constantly ask my healthcare professionals
questions about my health, including my breast health, because I've
learned that it is my responsibility to find out what will keep me as
healthy as I can be."
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on
Health & Medicine |
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Diahann Carroll is a breast cancer survivor and
Academy Award Nominated actress best known for her ground breaking roles
as a single-working mother in the 1960's drama, "Julia" and as the
outspoken Dominique Deveraux in "Dynasty." When a mammogram detected a
lump, Ms. Carroll took charge of her health, and urges other women to do
the same.
"Women need to understand that their health --
including their breast health -- is their responsibility," adds Ms.
Carroll. "There is strength in knowing how to take care of yourself so
that you can be as healthy as possible -- asking your doctor questions,
seeking out information and eating well and exercising are crucial
components to leading a healthy lifestyle."
"As a nurse practitioner for more than 30 years,
I've seen many older women diagnosed with breast cancer, and of those
women, many thought they were too old to get it. Some actually denied
that they could even have the disease because of their age," said Susan
Wysocki, president and CEO of the National Association of Nurse
Practitioners in Women's Health.
"This survey validates the need to educate women
about their breast health and understand how they can determine their
own risk for breast cancer."
The national survey was conducted by Harris
Interactive to better understand women's current beliefs and attitudes
about breast cancer and its risks. Sponsored by the National Association
of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH) and Eli Lilly and
Company, the survey is the cornerstone for a national educational
campaign titled, Strength in Knowing: The Facts and Fiction of Breast
Cancer Risk.
Survey Findings(2)
The survey, which polled 1,158 U.S. women aged 35+,
revealed that women did not identify age as a primary risk factor for
breast cancer. Specifically, the survey showed:
● More women (71 percent) ranked family history
as an "extremely" or "very" important risk factor for breast cancer
compared to increasing age (36 percent),(2) when in fact only
15 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family member
with the disease.(3)
● 75 percent of women surveyed did not recognize
that being over age 50 presents the greatest risk for developing breast
cancer.
● Only 37 percent of women aged 55+ listed
breast cancer as a disease they were most concerned about as they age.
● One-third (33 percent) of women mistakenly
believe that the importance of a regular mammogram decreases with age.
23 percent indicated they believe that the age at which the importance
of getting a mammogram starts to decrease is at some point after age 60.
● More than one third of women (35 percent)
indicated they got most of their health information from a family
physician, with the Internet being ranked second (18 percent), the news
media third (17 percent) and an OB/GYN fourth (16 percent).
Breast Cancer and Age
Approximately 200,000 new breast cancer cases
develop in the United States each year.(4) When assessing the
risk of developing breast cancer, simply being a woman is the most
significant factor, followed by age.(1)
Age is one of the most significant risk factors for
breast cancer. From ages 30 to 39, the risk of developing breast cancer
is one out of 229; from ages 40 to 49, the risk is one out of 68;
however, from ages 50 to 59, the risk jumps to one out of 37 and from
ages 60 to 69, the risk is one out of 26.(5)
It is important that women talk with their doctor
or healthcare professional to separate the myths from the facts in
breast health. While no one knows the exact cause of breast cancer,
women who know the facts about risk factors may be better equipped to
address their breast health, including scheduling clinical breast exams
and mammograms.
About Strength in Knowing: The Facts and Fiction
of Breast Cancer Risk
Strength in Knowing: The Facts and Fiction of
Breast Cancer Risk, sponsored by the National Association of Nurse
Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH) and Eli Lilly and Company, is a
national education campaign designed to help women separate the facts
from fiction regarding breast health. For information on breast health
and questions to ask a doctor or healthcare professional about the risk
factors for breast cancer, go to www.strengthinknowing.com.
About the Survey
This survey was conducted online by Harris
Interactive on behalf of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners
in Women's Health and Eli Lilly and Company between January 17 to 19,
2006 among 1,158 U.S. adult women aged 35 and older, of whom 979 have
had a mammogram. Figures for region, age within gender, education,
household income and race/ethnicity were weighted where necessary to
bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.
Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents'
propensity to be online.
With a pure probability sample of 1,158 U.S.
adult women one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that
the overall results have a sampling error of +/-5 percentage points.
Sampling error for various sub- samples is higher and varies. However
that does not take other sources of error into account. This online
survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical
sampling error can be calculated.
Complete survey results are available at
http://www.strengthinknowing.com,
http://www.harrisinteractive.com or upon request.
About Diahann Carroll
Diahann Carroll is an American actress and
singer. Her television nominations go back to 1963 for outstanding
single performance by an actress in a leading role for the series "Naked
City." In 1968, she became the first black actress in television history
to star in her own series, "Julia," for NBC, which soared to the top of
the Nielsen ratings and received an Emmy nomination in its first year on
the air, for best actress starring in a comedy. In 1992, she received
the Women in Film Crystal Award for her excellence in work and for the
accomplishment and contributions she has made to the advancement of
women in the entertainment industry.
Carroll was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998
and underwent surgery and radiation therapy. Since then, she has worked
to increase cancer awareness and help women with limited resources get
breast cancer screenings. Carroll serves as a spokeswoman for the
National Women's Cancer Research Alliance and has been a major supporter
of the Westside Challenge to Beat Breast Cancer in Los Angeles, Calif.
About The National Association of Nurse
Practitioners in Women's Health (NPWH)
The National Association of Nurse Practitioners
in Women's Health (formerly the National Association of Nurse
Practitioners in Reproductive Health) was founded in 1980. NPWH's
mission is to assure the provision of quality health care to women of
all ages by nurse practitioners. NPWH defines quality health care to be
inclusive of an individual's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
NPWH is a trusted source of information on nurse
practitioner education, practice, and women's health issues. NPWH works
with a wide range of individuals and groups within nursing, medicine,
the health care industry, and the women's health community.
About Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation,
is developing a growing portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class
pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own
worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific
organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, Lilly
provides answers -- through medicines and information -- for some of the
world's most urgent medical needs. Additional information about Lilly is
available at
http://www.lilly.com/. O-LLY.
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is the 13th largest and
fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides
research-driven insights and strategic advice to help its clients make
more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring
improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The
Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and
for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built
what could conceivably be the world's largest panel of survey
respondents, the Harris Poll Online. More information about Harris
Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com. To become a
member of the Harris Poll Online, visit www.harrispollonline.com.
Links to background information
(1) What causes breast cancer?
American Cancer Society. Accessed at
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_2X_What_causes_breast_cancer
_5.asp?sitearea=. on July 14, 2006.
(2) Executive Summary for Breast
Cancer Study conducted by Harris Interactive via QuickQuery(SM) online
omnibus service, January 17-19, 206: 1-12
(3) Signs and Symptoms. National
Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. Accessed at
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/signs_and_symptoms/ on June 7,
2005.
(4) Cancer Facts and Figures 2005.
American Cancer Society. Accessed at
http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/CAFF2005f4PWSecured.pdf on Jan.
5, 2006.
(5) Screening Mammograms: Questions
and Answers. National Cancer Institute. Accessed at
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/screening-mammograms
on July 18, 2006.
Source: Eli Lilly and Company; National
Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health
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