Recruitment activities and sociodemographic factors that predict attendance at a mammographic screening program

Am J Public Health. 1994 Oct;84(10):1655-8. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.10.1655.

Abstract

A random sample of 2266 women aged 50 to 69 years was used to investigate factors that predict attendance at a free Australian mammographic screening program. The most important predictor was receipt of a personal invitation letter. A letter that included an appointment time increased attendance 132-fold initially and decreased to 20 times baseline after 14 days. A letter that did not include an appointment time increased attendance 12-fold, and a second letter to nonattenders increased attendance approximately 13-fold. Attendance declined with increasing distance from the program and with increases in the percentage of non-English speaking women in a neighborhood, but was higher in areas of higher socioeconomic status.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Appointments and Schedules
  • Communication
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mammography / statistics & numerical data*
  • Mass Screening / statistics & numerical data*
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Victoria