IDENTIFYING FACILITATORS AND INHIBITORS OF BREAST SCREENING

ALTHOUGH REGULAR BREAST SCREENINGS IN THE FORM OF MAMMOGRAMS AND PHYSICAL BREAST EXAMINATIONS ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE CONTROL OF BREAST CANCER, ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OFWOMEN ARE RECEIVING SUCH SCREENINGS. THIS PROJECT DEALS WITH WAYS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO HAVE SUCH BREAST SCREENINGS. THIS PROJECT HAS THREE LONG-RANGE OBJECTIVES: (1) TO IDENTIFY THE STRENGTH OF ALL THE FACTORS THAT OPERATE AS FACILITATORS AND INHIBITORS OF THE DECISION TO HAVE BREAST SCREENINGS DONE: (2) TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE A METHODOLOGY FOR PREDICTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT COULD BE USED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO HAVE SCREENINGS DONE; AND (3) TO IDENTIFY AND ASSESS THE SUCCESS OF DIFFERENT MARKETING/OUTREACH STRATEGIES THAT HAVE BEEN USED IN THE PAST BY BREAST CLINICS. PHASE I OBJECTIVES ARE TO COMPREHENSIVELY IDENTIFY THE FACTORS THAT SERVE AS FACILITATORS AND INHIBITORS TO THE DECISION TO HAVE SCREENINGS DONE AND TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING THE MARKETING/OUTREACH STRATEGIES THAT BREAST CLINICS HAVE USED IN THE PAST.