A two-step intervention of increase mammography among women aged 65 and older

This study evaluated a two-step intervention for mammography screening among older women. Four hundred and sixty women, identified from physician practices, were randomized to a control or a two-step intervention (physician letter and peer counseling call) group. Women in the intervention group who obtained a mammogram received a grocery coupon. Over the 12 months of the study, more women in the intervention group than in the control group obtained mammograms (38% vs 16%). The most dramatic difference was in the higher odds that women in the intervention group would obtain a mammogram within 2 months (odds ratio = 10.5). The intervention significantly increased screening mammography. Future efforts must be multifaceted and incorporate the unique concerns of older women.