Two community outreach strategies to increase breast cancer screening among low-income women

Background. Two approaches were designed for low-income women to promote th eir use of mammography screening. Methods. During 1995-96, as part of a com munity outreach project in a Florida city, 1,157 women aged 45 years or old er attended group education sessions on breast cancer screening, while anot her 1,450 participated in one-on-one talks about screening at display table s in various public places. County mammography registry data were used to a ssess changes in the use of mammography screening. Results. Among women 55 years old or older, especially whites, the one-on-one approach was more oft en associated with subsequent mammography screening than was the group appr oach. African American women and Latina women appeared to benefit more from the group approach than from the one-on-one approach. Conclusions. Group o r one-on-one breast cancer screening education can improve screening behavi ors among low-income women, depending on the age and ethnicity of the women targeted.