Contextual and individual inequalities in breast cancer screening participation and outcomes in Turin (North-West Italy)

Abstract Breast cancer incidence and screening participation exhibit an unequal distribution in the population. This study aims to investigate the impact of socioeconomic position (SEP) on three breast screening indicators (participation, recall, and cancer detection rates) among women aged 50–69 in the city of Turin between 2010 and 2019. The study also aims to determine whether contextual factors (deprivation index) or individual factors (educational level) have a greater influence. The data used in this study are sourced from the Turin Breast Screening Program (TBSP) and the Turin Longitudinal Study (TLS). To test the hypothesis and account for the hierarchical structure of the data, multilevel models were used. Both contextual and individual SEP were found to be associated with screening participation. Participation increased with higher levels of deprivation (odds ratio for most deprived: 1.13; 95% CI 1.11–1.16) and decreased with higher educational levels (OR for low educated: 1.37; 95% CI 1.34–1.40). Contextual SEP did not show any association with recall or cancer detection rates, but individual SEP had an impact. Women with lower educational levels had a statistically significant 19% lower odds of being recalled and a statistically significant 20% lower odds of being diagnosed with cancer. Additionally, immigrant women were less likely to participate in screening, be recalled, or receive a cancer diagnosis. Educational level consistently influenced the analyzed screening indicators, while contextual deprivation appeared to have less importance. It is likely that women living in less deprived areas and with higher education have greater access to opportunistic screening.