COMMUNITY EDUCATION-PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MAMMOGRAPHY PARTICIPATION IN RURAL NEW-YORK-STATE

Background. Rural women are less likely to receive screening mammograp hy at recommended intervals. This study evaluated efforts to promote s creening mammography among women in rural communities through communit y education interventions and low-cost mobile mammography van services . Methods. Two matched sets of communities were identified in an isola ted rural region. One area received community education programs in ad dition to the mammography van for 2 years; the second area received on ly the van services. The educational programs were designed using diag nostic research methods; they included recruitment of opinion leaders to organize small group breast screening education sessions, an inform ation campaign using direct mail, and primary health care provider edu cation. Results. A household telephone survey conducted 6 months after completion of these programs indicated that mammography utilization a nd perceived mammography norms were higher among women in the Program area than among women in the Comparison area. Process data were consis tent with these findings. Clinical examination and self-examination be haviors were not influenced by the programs. Conclusions. This study s howed that well-focused educational interventions for rural women can increase utilization of screening mammography when access and cost bar riers also are reduced. (C) 1997 Academic Press.