Socioeconomic status as determinant for participation in mammography screening: assessing the difference between using women's own versus their partner's

Earlier research has shown that participation in mammography screening tends to vary across socioeconomic levels. We assessed the difference between using the woman's own socioeconomic status (SES) and using that of her household or partner as determinant of participation in mammography screening. Participation data from two mammography screening programs in Denmark were linked to a national SES classification system providing data for each citizen, their partner, and household. We calculated the odds ratio of non-participation across SES levels using the woman's own, the household's, and her partner's SES status, respectively. When using the woman's own SES, the odds ratio of non-participation showed a clear U-shape across SES levels, in both programs. When using the partner's SES the difference in non-participation across SES levels was significantly smaller (p < 0.001). To what extent SES was a determinant for screening participation strongly depended on whether using the woman's own SES or that of her partner. In a public health perspective it is important to take this into account when addressing the problem of non-attendance in screening.