Skip to main content
American Journal of Public Health logoLink to American Journal of Public Health
. 1994 Apr;84(4):571–574. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.4.571

Using physician correspondence and postcard reminders to promote mammography use.

S H Taplin 1, C Anderman 1, L Grothaus 1, S Curry 1, D Montano 1
PMCID: PMC1614799  PMID: 8154558

Abstract

OBJECTIVES. In a health maintenance organization that mails letters to women recommending that they schedule mammograms, we conducted a randomized trial to evaluate simple methods of increasing the use of screening mammography. METHODS. Using a 2 x 2 factorial design, we tested the effects of (1) mailing the recommendation letter from each woman's primary care physician rather than from the program director and (2) sending a subsequent reminder postcard. RESULTS. Sending a reminder postcard nearly doubled the odds that women would get mammograms within 1 year (participate). The letter from the woman's personal physician had no effect. Attending a clinic more than 45 minutes from the screening center, being a current smoker, or being in fair or poor health were negatively associated with subsequently obtaining a mammogram. The odds of participation doubled if women had had previous mammograms. CONCLUSIONS. When preceded by written recommendations to schedule mammograms, reminder postcards effectively increased participation. Future randomized trials to promote use of screening mammography should compare interventions with a reminder condition.

Full text

PDF
571

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Banks N. J., Palmer R. H. Clinical reminders in ambulatory care. HMO Pract. 1990 Jul-Aug;4(4):131–136. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Becker M. H., Haefner D. P., Kasl S. V., Kirscht J. P., Maiman L. A., Rosenstock I. M. Selected psychosocial models and correlates of individual health-related behaviors. Med Care. 1977 May;15(5 Suppl):27–46. doi: 10.1097/00005650-197705001-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Brimberry R. Vaccination of high-risk patients for influenza. A comparison of telephone and mail reminder methods. J Fam Pract. 1988 Apr;26(4):397–400. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Burack R. C., Liang J. The acceptance and completion of mammography by older black women. Am J Public Health. 1989 Jun;79(6):721–726. doi: 10.2105/ajph.79.6.721. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Carter A. P., Thompson R. S., Bourdeau R. V., Andenes J., Mustin H., Straley H. A clinically effective breast cancer screening program can be cost-effective, too. Prev Med. 1987 Jan;16(1):19–34. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(87)90003-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Clementz G. L., Aldag J. C., Gladfelter T. T., Barclay A. M., Brooks H. F. A randomized study of cancer screening in a family practice setting using a recall model. J Fam Pract. 1990 May;30(5):537–541. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dietrich A. J., Marton K. I. Does continuous care from a physician make a difference? J Fam Pract. 1982 Nov;15(5):929–937. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fink R., Shapiro S. Significance of increased efforts to gain participation in screening for breast cancer. Am J Prev Med. 1990 Jan-Feb;6(1):34–41. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Fox S. A., Stein J. A. The effect of physician-patient communication on mammography utilization by different ethnic groups. Med Care. 1991 Nov;29(11):1065–1082. doi: 10.1097/00005650-199111000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Howard J. Using mammography for cancer control: an unrealized potential. CA Cancer J Clin. 1987 Jan-Feb;37(1):33–48. doi: 10.3322/canjclin.37.1.33. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Janz N. K., Becker M. H. The Health Belief Model: a decade later. Health Educ Q. 1984 Spring;11(1):1–47. doi: 10.1177/109019818401100101. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kelly R. B., Shank J. C. Adherence to screening flexible sigmoidoscopy in asymptomatic patients. Med Care. 1992 Nov;30(11):1029–1042. doi: 10.1097/00005650-199211000-00006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Larson E. B., Bergman J., Heidrich F., Alvin B. L., Schneeweiss R. Do postcard reminders improve influenza compliance? A prospective trial of different postcard "cues". Med Care. 1982 Jun;20(6):639–648. doi: 10.1097/00005650-198206000-00010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Larson E. B., Olsen E., Cole W., Shortell S. The relationship of health beliefs and a postcard reminder to influenza vaccination. J Fam Pract. 1979 Jun;8(6):1207–1211. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lerman C., Rimer B., Trock B., Balshem A., Engstrom P. F. Factors associated with repeat adherence to breast cancer screening. Prev Med. 1990 May;19(3):279–290. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(90)90028-i. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. McDowell I., Newell C., Rosser W. A randomized trial of computerized reminders for blood pressure screening in primary care. Med Care. 1989 Mar;27(3):297–305. doi: 10.1097/00005650-198903000-00008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. McPhee S. J., Bird J. A., Jenkins C. N., Fordham D. Promoting cancer screening. A randomized, controlled trial of three interventions. Arch Intern Med. 1989 Aug;149(8):1866–1872. doi: 10.1001/archinte.149.8.1866. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Ornstein S. M., Garr D. R., Jenkins R. G., Rust P. F., Arnon A. Computer-generated physician and patient reminders. Tools to improve population adherence to selected preventive services. J Fam Pract. 1991 Jan;32(1):82–90. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Pearson D. C., Grothaus L. C., Thompson R. S., Wagner E. H. Smokers and drinkers in a health maintenance organization population: lifestyles and health status. Prev Med. 1987 Nov;16(6):783–795. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(87)90018-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Tabar L., Fagerberg G., Duffy S. W., Day N. E. The Swedish two county trial of mammographic screening for breast cancer: recent results and calculation of benefit. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1989 Jun;43(2):107–114. doi: 10.1136/jech.43.2.107. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Tabàr L., Fagerberg G., Duffy S. W., Day N. E., Gad A., Gröntoft O. Update of the Swedish two-county program of mammographic screening for breast cancer. Radiol Clin North Am. 1992 Jan;30(1):187–210. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Tabár L., Gad A., Holmberg L., Ljungquist U. Significant reduction in advanced breast cancer. Results of the first seven years of mammography screening in Kopparberg, Sweden. Diagn Imaging Clin Med. 1985;54(3-4):158–164. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Taplin S. H., Thompson R. S., Schnitzer F., Anderman C., Immanuel V. Revisions in the risk-based Breast Cancer Screening Program at Group Health Cooperative. Cancer. 1990 Aug 15;66(4):812–818. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19900815)66:4<812::aid-cncr2820660436>3.0.co;2-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Taplin S., Anderman C., Grothaus L. Breast cancer risk and participation in mammographic screening. Am J Public Health. 1989 Nov;79(11):1494–1498. doi: 10.2105/ajph.79.11.1494. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Thompson R. S., Michnich M. E., Gray J., Friedlander L., Gilson B. Maximizing compliance with hemoccult screening for colon cancer in clinical practice. Med Care. 1986 Oct;24(10):904–914. doi: 10.1097/00005650-198610000-00004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Thompson R. S., Taplin S. H., Carter A. P., Schnitzer F. Cost effectiveness in program delivery. Cancer. 1989 Dec 15;64(12 Suppl):2682–2689. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19891215)64:2+<2682::aid-cncr2820641412>3.0.co;2-t. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Wolosin R. J. Effect of appointment scheduling and reminder postcards on adherence to mammography recommendations. J Fam Pract. 1990 May;30(5):542–547. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from American Journal of Public Health are provided here courtesy of American Public Health Association

RESOURCES