Preferences of rural Victorian women for screening mammography services

The aim of this study was to examine rural women's access to regional fixed-site screening mammography services and their preferences for either a mobile service or a fixed-site centre. One hundred and thirty-seven women aged 49 to 69 from rural Victoria were interviewed in June 1991. Eighty-five per cent of women normally go to major towns which are possible screening sites at least once every six months, spending an average of five hours each visit. Around 77% of women said they would be likely to go to a fixed site while 86% said they would be likely to go to a mobile service. If the fixed-site centre was at a major town not usually frequented, this would be a deterrent to 58% of women. A decision to widely implement mobile screening in rural areas of Victoria is not justified at this time, but pilot mobile services should be considered.