Use of tailored counseling to improve mammography utilization and reduce breast cancer

• Main Author: Reiger-Butler, Dale M
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2010
• Subjects: Breast cancer; Counseling; Mammography; Nursing
• ISBN: 9781109739718; 1109739710

The purpose of this evidenced based practice (EBP) pilot project was to determine whether tailored counseling regarding the benefits of mammography screening would be effective in improving mammography utilization among Black women age forty or older. The most prevalent cancer in women in the United States is breast cancer. According to a Commonwealth Fund report (The Commonwealth Fund, 1999), Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than Caucasian women. The tailored counseling for this EBP project entailed providing information regarding risk factors for breast cancer and information about mammography screening. Inclusion criteria were Black females, aged forty or older, who did not have mammography in the past two years. A convenience sample of thirty-seven potential participants was chosen from a family health practice in a suburb of New York. Out of thirty-seven potential participants, ten women met the inclusion criteria and were willing to participate in the project. A telephone interview was conducted by this investigator. After each participant provided verbal informed consent to participate, she was given the tailored counseling, and a physician referral for mammography with the location of a local mammography facility. A follow-up interview was conducted to determine whether or not the women utilized the mammography referral Although the sample size was too small to demonstrate any statistical significance, the final results of the EBP project indicated that 7 out of 10 women utilized the mammography referral. The results demonstrated that tailored counseling may be a factor in changing health care practice for this population It is recommended that future EBP projects be conducted using a larger sample size to evaluate for statistical significance.