Preventive Health Care among Older Women: Missed Opportunities and Poor Targeting

Reported receipt of cancer screening tests by age and health status for women aged 65 years and older (n=4683).*†‡§

*Below each age category (65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, and 85+ years) is the P value for the test of trend for the influence of health on receipt of preventive health measures within each age group. In parentheses next to age is the P value for the test of trend for the influence of age across all age groups.

†Perceived health, functional limitations, and a comorbidity count were used to classify women as either above average, average, or below average in health (page 7).

‡Excluded 310 women with a history of breast cancer, 81 who had a recent mammogram for reasons besides screening, 281 who were missing data on their last mammogram, and 752 who were missing completely from the cancer control module.

§Excluded 92 women with a history of colon cancer, 328 missing whether or not they ever had a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy or home blood stool test, 600 who had a recent sigmoidoscopy/colonscopy or home blood stool test for reasons besides screening, and 43 who were missing completely from the cancer control module.

Reported receipt of exercise counseling by age and health status for women aged 65 years and older (n=4683).*†‡

*Below each age category (65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, and 85+ years) is the P value for the test of trend for the influence of health on receipt of preventive health measures within each age group. In parentheses next to age is the P value for the test of trend for the influence of age across all age groups.

†Perceived health, functional limitations, and a comorbidity count were used to classify women as either above average, average, or below average in health (page 7).

‡Excluded 178 women who were missing whether or not they received exercise counseling.

Reported receipt of immunizations by age and health status for women aged 65 years and older (n=4683).*†‡§

*Below each age category (65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, and 85+) is the P value for the test of trend for the influence of health on receipt of preventive health measures within each age group. In parentheses next to age is the P value for the test of trend for the influence of age across all age groups.

†Perceived health, functional limitations, and a comorbidity count were used to classify women as either above average, average, or below average in health (page 7).

‡Excluded 103 women who were missing whether or not they ever received a pneumonia vaccination.

§Excluded 29 women who were missing whether or not they had a flu shot in the past year.