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Breast cancer screening beliefs by practice location
Lisa M Santora1, Martin C Mahoney, Silvana Lawvere
1Department of Family Medicine, University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Health System, Miami, Florida 33136, USA. lisasantora@hotmail.com
BMC Public Health
|March 21, 2003
Summary
Breast cancer screening practices vary among primary care clinicians. While no significant differences by location were found, rural clinicians were more likely to use written guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Primary Care Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Breast cancer screening is a critical component of women's health.
- Variations in screening practices can impact patient outcomes.
- Geographic location may influence clinical decision-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate variations in breast cancer screening approaches among primary care clinicians.
- To determine if geographic location (urban, rural, suburban) is associated with differences in screening practices.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey of physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.
- Development of a summary index for beliefs about breast cancer screening.
- Classification of practice locations into urban, rural, and suburban categories.
Main Results:
- Half of the 428 respondents agreed with three or more of four key breast cancer screening items.
- No significant differences in screening beliefs were found based on practice location.
- Clinicians in rural areas were more likely to report using written breast cancer screening guidelines compared to those in urban or suburban settings.
Conclusions:
- An evidence-based consensus statement is needed to standardize breast cancer screening guidelines.
- Standardized guidelines can reduce variations in screening approaches across diverse clinical settings.
- Consistent implementation of guidelines can improve the quality of breast cancer care.