Widespread mistrust of new mammogram guidelines

PALO ALTO, California — Americans have become even more cynical about the independent medical task force’s recommendation that women can start regular mammogram screenings at age 50 rather than age 40. Last week, 53% believed the task force made its recommendation based on politics and cost, NOT on their reading of the scientific evidence. This week, that percentage has risen to 58%. And the older you are – the more cynical you are about the recommendation.

Half of all women aged 40 and over follow the current guidelines and report having had a mammogram in the last year. Seven in ten qualify as following the new guidelines, which suggest mammograms every two years. But nearly a third of women over 40 have not had a mammogram in the last two years; and one in ten (11%) say they have NEVER had a mammogram.

While more than two-thirds of women over 65 report having had a mammogram in the last year, just 42% of women between 40 and 65 say they have.