A cue-to-action pilot project to increase screening mammography

Area of Science:

• Preventive medicine and public health.
• Health services research.
• Oncology and cancer screening.

Background:

• Screening mammography is crucial for early breast cancer detection in asymptomatic women.
• Community-based health insurance plans play a role in facilitating access to preventive care.
• Targeted interventions may be necessary to improve adherence to recommended screening guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a cue-to-action pilot project on screening mammography uptake.
• To assess the effectiveness of outreach, education, and incentives among women aged 52-74.
• To determine if these interventions increase mammography screening in a community-based health insurance plan population.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study design with retrospective and prospective components was employed.
• Eligible women (aged 52-74) with no recent mammogram were invited to a campaign.
• The campaign included outreach, education on benefits, and a grocery gift card incentive.

Main Results:

• Screening mammography uptake increased by 170% during the intervention period compared to the previous year.
• 20.8% of eligible women underwent screening in December 2017 versus 7.8% in December 2016.
• The increase was statistically significant (prevalence ratio [PR], 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1-6.6; P=.02).

Conclusions:

• A one-time intervention combining outreach, education, and incentives significantly boosted screening mammography rates.
• The findings suggest that such targeted strategies are effective for increasing preventive screening in insured populations.
• Despite a small sample size, the results are encouraging and support further research in larger populations.