Factors associated with continued participation in mammography screening

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Ongoing participation in mammography screening is not fully understood.
• Managed care plan members often have access but do not routinely receive this service.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify demographic and utilization factors predicting regular mammography screening among women in a managed care plan.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of administrative data from HIP Health Plan of New York.
• Followed 24,215 women (ages 50-80) for 2 years after an initial screening mammogram.

Main Results:

• 71.8% of women had a subsequent screening mammogram within 2 years.
• Older women (65-74) and those with Medicare coverage showed higher rates.
• Increased primary care and gynecology visits correlated with higher mammogram rates; average interval was 14.4 months.

Conclusions:

• Physician communication and integration into the health maintenance organization (HMO) system are vital for mammography adherence.
• Medicaid members were less likely to receive recommended screening despite equal access.