promoting breast cancer screening in non-adherent women

Conditions: Breast Cancer

Summary: this randomized study compares the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of 3 proven methods of reaching out to women who are coming due for or who are overdue for a mammogram. the study originally embedded in a community healthcare plan and an associated community clinic, now accepts patients using the community clinic and 3 other health care plans. the study makes use of a complex computer driven reminder system. the study also will examine ways to improve the efficiency and sequencing of the interventions by identifying patient factors associated with intervention effectiveness.

the randomized study compares three interventions. all eligible women are randomly assigned to 1 of 3 interventions. if they become 18 or more months from a prior mammogram, they will receive the intervention to which they were assigned. the 3 arms are 1. rl arm: (reminder letter) a control arm which consists of a reminder letter only that states when the last mammogram was, contains a standard recommendation from her primary care provider (pcp), and requests that the woman call a special number for help scheduling a mammogram. 2. rc arm: (reminder call) a reminder letter as above, followed, if no response, by a reminder call from a study scheduler who offers to help schedule a mammogram. 3. ettc arm: (enhanced tailored telephone counseling call) a reminder letter as above, followed, if no response by a second letter, a mammography educational booklet and a second request to call a special number to schedule a mammogram. if no response, a study counselor/educator will call. a complex computer-based tracking system identifies women coming due for a mammogram or those overdue for a mammogram. the system interfaces with the clinic database systems and stores information re age, telephone number, address, prior screening dates, primary care provider name, scheduling dates, etc. the system can generate reminder letters as appropriate. the tracking system also interfaces with computer-assisted telephone script systems(cati) which prompt the study scheduler or the study counselor to follow the protocol that is tailored to the individual patient. the cati system captures data from all calls, including how ready a woman is to schedule, the answers to a brief socio-demographic survey and in the counselor call script barriers and misinformation about mammography. the computer system also interfaces with the radiology scheduling system so that study personnel can assist women in scheduling a mammogram during the phone call. the primary outcome is the number of women in each arm getting a mammogram. this data will come from the clinic data base and the healthcare plan billing system. secondary outcomes include evaluation of the effect of booster or repeat interventions in women failing to respond to prior request for mammogram.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * women aged 40 through 84 years old * in the fallon community health plan, blue cross, tufts or harvard pilgrim health plans for 18 or more months * has a current reliant medical group (formerly called fallon clinic) primary care provider * has working telephone exclusion criteria: * significant cognitive impairment * serious illness, precluding screening * bilateral mastectomy * life expectancy less than 5 years

Keywords: cost effectiveness screening mammography repeat mammography telephone counseling computerized reminders compliance