Ethnic minorities in England less likely to receive routine breast cancer screening
Research finds people from minority backgrounds are diagnosed via emergency referral rather than routine screening.
At a glance
- Ethnic minorities up to 33% less likely to be diagnosed via routine screening
- More likely to be diagnosed in emergency settings or through urgent referrals
- Analysis covered 86,564 cases diagnosed between 2009 and 2019
- Research funded by Breast Cancer Now charity
Analysis of nearly 87,000 breast cancer cases in England between 2009 and 2019 found that people from minority ethnic backgrounds were up to a third less likely to receive a diagnosis through routine screening programmes.
The research, conducted by academics at the University of Surrey and funded by Breast Cancer Now, showed that these groups were more likely to be diagnosed in emergency settings or through urgent referrals instead.
Why it matters
Routine screening typically allows earlier detection and treatment. Disparities in access to screening may affect health outcomes for minority ethnic groups.
Original reporting
This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.
