A study of female veterans ages 50 to 65 who obtained care at the New Mexico VA Health Care System analyzed association of mental illness with adherence to breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening. While women with mental illness were as likely as those without mental illness to receive any screening, they were less likely to adhere to recommended breast cancer screening. This is an important issue among the veteran population, as 53% of the women in the study had a mental health diagnosis.
