Previous research has shown that women are up to 40 percent more likely to experience a mental-health condition than men. Now findings published in the British Journal of Psychiatry caution that women with depression, anxiety or other mood disorders are likely missing out on important breast-cancer screenings.
In the study, British researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and comparing rates of mammography screening between women with mental illness and those without. PsychCentral reports:
Researchers found that there were significantly reduced rates of mammography screening in women with mental illness, depression, and severe mental illness such as schizophrenia.
The effect was not present in women with distress alone, suggesting distress was not the explanation.
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"In this study, we found that mental ill health was linked with 45,000 missed screens which potentially could account for 90 avoidable deaths per annum in the UK alone. Clearly patients with mental illness should receive care that is at least comparable with care given to the general population. Every effort should be made to educate and support women with mental illness called for screening," [said Alex Mitchell, MD, who led the study.]
Previously: A new way of reaching women who need mammograms, Despite genetic advances, detection still key in breast cancer, Medicine X explores the relationship between mental and physical health: "I don't usually talk about this", Examining link between bipolar disorder, early death and Examining the connection between mental and physical health
