Tailored written invitations for second round breast cancer screening: a randomised controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Mammography screening is crucial for early breast cancer detection.
• Optimizing screening invitation strategies can improve public health outcomes.
• Previous research suggests personalized communication may enhance health behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of tailored mammography screening invitation letters in increasing attendance rates.
• To assess the acceptability and understandability of tailored letters among women.
• To compare the impact of tailored versus standard letters on screening uptake.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the North West Glasgow Breast Screening Centre.
• Women were randomly assigned to receive either a tailored invitation letter or a standard invitation letter.
• Attendance rates and subgroup differences were analyzed using statistical methods.

Main Results:

• Overall attendance rates were similar between the tailored (62%) and standard (60%) letter groups (P = 0.4).
• No significant differences in attendance were observed across various subgroups based on prior screening history.
• Women found the tailored letters acceptable and understandable, but did not appear to closely read the content.

Conclusions:

• Tailoring invitation letters for mammography screening does not significantly improve attendance rates.
• The use of tailored letters does not appear to justify the additional workload involved in their preparation.
• Current strategies for breast screening invitations may require further refinement beyond personalization.