Abstract
Background. A randomized trial was conducted to evaluate the impact of a community-based intervention on mammography use among low-income women living in public housing. Methods. All 41 public housing high-rise buildings were randomized to treatment and delayed treatment (control) conditions. After a cross-sectional baseline survey, an intervention called Friend to Friend was conducted in the treatment buildings by American Cancer Society and building resident volunteers. The intervention consisted of a health professional talk, small group discussions, and an opportunity to request assistance in obtaining a mammogram or mammogram reminder. A second cross-sectional survey was conducted to measure differences in screening rates between the study groups. Results. Participation in the intervention averaged 27%. The study groups were equivalent at baseline. At follow-up, the proportion of women age 50-79 years who reported mammography screening in the previous 15 months was significantly higher in the treatment group (64%) than in the control group (52%). Breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs did not differ between groups. Conclusions. These findings suggest that a multidimensional intervention which reaches women within their social environment and uses community volunteers can increase mammography utilization among women in public housing.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 862-870 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Preventive medicine |
Volume | 27 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 1998 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:1 This research was supported by a grant (RO1 CA52994) from the National Cancer Institute.
Copyright:
Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Keywords
- Breast neoplasms
- Cancer
- Health behavior
- Intervention studies
- Mammography
- Mass screening
- Poverty
- Public housing