Comparison of tailored interventions to increase mammography screening in nonadherent older women

Background Recent increases in mammography use have led to a decrease in mortality from breast cancer. Methods Building on the Health Belief Model, the Transtheoretical Model, and past effectiveness of tailored interventions, we conducted a prospective randomized trial (n = 773) to test the efficacy on mammography adherence of tailored interventions delivered by five different methods, i.e., telephone counseling, in-person counseling, physician letter, and combinations of telephone with letter and in-person with letter. Results All five interventions increased mammography adherence significantly relative to usual care (odds ratios, 1.93 to 3.55) at 6 months post intervention. The combination of in-person with physician letter was significantly more effective than telephone alone or letter alone. Women thinking about getting a mammogram at baseline were more likely to be adherent by 6 months; even those in usual care achieved 48% adherence compared with 50–70% in the intervention groups. In contrast, women not thinking about getting a mammogram needed the interventions to increase their adherence from 13% to over 30%. Conclusions All five interventions were effective at increasing mammography adherence. Women not thinking about getting a mammogram were most likely to benefit from these tailored interventions while other women might need less intensive interventions.