Breast Cancer Synthesis Essay

There has been a significant decline in mortality from breast cancer since the 1970s, this decline is linked with the fact that there is more availability of screening methods, mainly mammography, and there is a drastic improvement in the way advanced cancer is treated (Smith et al., 2008). Dr. David Eddy, an early pioneer in evidence-based medicine conducted a study for the American Cancer Society (ACS) to develop recommendations for screening for cancer which was later reviewed by him and published by ACS in 1980 (Smith et al., 2008). The beginning of that methodology influenced how the future guidelines were updated (Smith et al., 2008). It was in 1997 that the ACS guidelines methodology underwent a review and update to officiate a process that incorporated the core stages of guideline development, implementation, and
It was through the Breast and Cervical cancer Mortality prevention act that was passed by congress in 1990 that made CDC create the NBCCEDP program (CDC, 2015). CDC manages this process by implementing health care reform with the help of Affordable Care Act thereby increasing access to breast cancer screening services for numerous low-income, underserved women (CDC, 2015). This is made possible through expanded insurance coverage and eliminating cost-sharing (CDC, 2015). There may be other numerous barriers despite adequate health insurance that may prevent women from obtaining breast cancer screening which includes “geographic isolation, inadequate health literacy or self-efficacy, lack of provider recommendation, inconvenient times to access services, and language barriers” (CDC, 2015