Promotion of breast cancer screening in a work site population

We investigated whether attitudes, intentions, and practices regarding breast cancer screening by mammography and clinical breast examination could be positively influenced through a brief educational intervention administered to women employees at diverse work sites. The educational intervention involved the mailing of American Cancer Society brochures that discussed breast cancer screening and contained guidelines on the recommended frequency for each screening modality according to age. Effects of the intervention were measured through pre/post questionnaires. The results were positive for the entire group of women who participated, as evidenced by their increased perception of the importance of mammography and clinical breast examination and of the priority of getting a mammogram regularly, their decreased perception of mammography as an uncomfortable procedure, and the increased frequency of discussions of breast cancer screening at work. Employers, particularly large corporations and agencies, must realize that by introducing effective work site cancer screening programs they not only fulfill their social responsibility to contribute to their employees' health, but also achieve reductions in health care costs.