TEL AVIV, ISRAEL โ Significant disparities in breast cancer screening persist across Israel, with new data from Clalit Health Services showing a gap of more than 20 percentage points between some cities and substantially lower mammography participation among ultra-Orthodox women and women living in lower socioeconomic communities.
The 2025 figures from Clalit, Israel’s largest healthcare organization, cover insured women aged 50 to 74 living in communities with more than 50,000 residents.
Kiryat Motzkin recorded the highest mammography screening rate among the cities examined, with 75.5 percent of eligible women undergoing screening.
Rahat followed closely at 74.9 percent, with Givatayim at 74.4 percent, Herzliya at 73.4 percent and Nahariya at 72.9 percent.
High screening rates were also recorded in Petah Tikva at 72.7 percent, Netivot at 72.4 percent, Kiryat Ata at 72.3 percent, Ra’anana at 72.2 percent, Haifa at 71.7 percent, Afula at 71 percent and Beersheba at 70.6 percent.
At the opposite end of the rankings, Beitar Illit recorded the lowest rate at just 52.8 percent.
Umm al-Fahm had a screening rate of 57.6 percent, followed by Bnei Brak at 58.2 percent and Yavne at 59.3 percent.
The difference between Kiryat Motzkin and Beitar Illit was 22.7 percentage points.
The findings provide a detailed look at where Israel’s national early detection efforts are succeeding and where significant gaps remain as the country prepares to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
Socioeconomic Status Closely Linked To Screening
Clalit’s figures reveal significant differences not only between individual cities, but also among population groups.
The highest mammography screening rate was recorded among Israel’s general Jewish population, at 69.9 percent.
The rate among Arab women was 67.3 percent, while participation among ultra-Orthodox women was substantially lower at 61.4 percent.
An even clearer pattern emerged when researchers examined communities according to socioeconomic status.
Among women living in communities ranked in Israel’s lowest socioeconomic clusters, one through three, the age-adjusted mammography screening rate was 65.6 percent.
Participation increased to 67 percent among women in clusters four and five.
It rose further to 70.3 percent in clusters six and seven and reached 73.4 percent among women living in the highest socioeconomic clusters, eight through 10.
The figures suggest that economic and social circumstances remain closely associated with participation in preventive healthcare.
Clalit says it is using the data to identify communities where additional outreach and improved access to screening may be needed.
“Awareness and participation in screening programs are key components of preventive medicine,” said Prof. Doron Netzer, head of the Medical Division at Clalit Health Services.
“Alongside efforts to raise awareness and encourage women to maintain regular medical follow-up and screening, we are mapping and identifying disparities so that we can focus our efforts on populations and areas with lower screening rates, make services more accessible, and increase participation.”
Clalit operates proactive programs to identify women who may benefit from screening and uses artificial intelligence tools to help identify target populations.
The healthcare organization also adapts its services to the cultural and community needs of different populations and operates mobile mammography units to bring screening closer to communities with lower participation.
Early Detection Remains Critical
Mammography is one of the principal tools used to detect breast cancer before symptoms develop.
Israel’s national mammography screening program covers women aged 50 to 74, with screening generally recommended once every two years for women at normal risk.
Early detection can significantly affect outcomes.
The Israel Cancer Association says breast cancer detected at an early stage has a cure rate of approximately 90 percent or higher.
Women between 45 and 49 and those aged 75 and older do not face the same blanket screening recommendation. Decisions for those age groups are generally made in consultation with their physicians, although mammography is covered through Israel’s national health basket.
Women at elevated risk because of family history or genetic factors may require earlier or more frequent surveillance.
“Early detection is essential and saves lives, but good health begins long before a screening appointment,” said Sigal Mazor, director of Clalit’s Health Promotion Department.
“Regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol consumption can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer and contribute to better overall health.”
Nearly 19,000 Clalit Members Underwent BRCA Testing
Genetic screening represents another important component of Israel’s breast and ovarian cancer prevention strategy.
Nearly 19,000 Clalit members underwent genetic testing for BRCA mutations in 2025, according to the organization.
BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes involved in repairing damaged DNA. Certain inherited mutations can significantly increase a woman’s risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.
Israel’s screening program includes women from populations in which particular BRCA mutations are more prevalent, including women of Ashkenazi Jewish and Ethiopian ancestry.
Identifying a mutation can allow women and their physicians to implement more intensive surveillance and consider measures intended to reduce cancer risk.
The Israel Cancer Association recommends BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing for women of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, including partial Ashkenazi ancestry, and women of Ethiopian ancestry. Testing is available through Israel’s health funds.
Nearly 5,900 Israeli Women Expected To Be Diagnosed In 2026
The disparities take on added significance because breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in Israel.
The Israel Cancer Association estimates approximately 5,870 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in Israel by the end of 2026.
That represents roughly 113 new diagnoses every week.
Approximately 1,100 women are expected to die from the disease during the year.
Breast cancer accounts for about one-third of new cancer diagnoses among Israeli women, with most cases occurring in women over 50.
Long-term projections indicate the burden could increase as Israel’s population grows and ages.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, projects that approximately 6,930 women in Israel could be diagnosed with breast cancer annually by 2050, with about 1,770 deaths per year.
Those projections make the disparities identified by Clalit particularly important.
Israel has a national screening program, universal health coverage for recommended mammography, and increasingly sophisticated tools for identifying women who should be screened.
The latest figures, however, show that access to a screening program does not necessarily translate into equal participation.
For Clalit, the challenge is now to identify why women in some cities and population groups are being screened at substantially lower rates and to close those gaps through targeted outreach, culturally appropriate services and improved accessibility.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month approaches, the data reinforce a central message of Israel’s cancer prevention strategy: early detection can save lives, but its benefits depend on women across every community being reached.
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