On-Site Mobile Mammography Seen as Effective Way to Screen Older Women

On-site, mobile mammography at community sites is an effective way to reach older women who would not ordinarily get screened for breast cancer, according to researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles.

Researchers looked at a sample of 500 women between the ages of 65 and 84 who had not had a mammogram in the previous year. The women who participated in the study were found at community-based sites, senior centers and clubs and all received on-site multi-component health education. At half of the locations, randomly selected participants were given the opportunity to receive a mammogram.

At the sites where mammography was offered, 55 percent of the women opted to have the screening within three months. Only 40 percent of the women at the other sites underwent screening over the same period of time.

Mobile mammography was particularly effective for three groups with traditionally low screening rates: Asians, Hispanics and low-income women. Thirty-three percent of the women who had never been screened opted to have a mammogram when they had access to a mobile unit. Only 12.5 percent of the women at sites where only health education was available opted to get a mammogram.

Researchers concluded that mobile mammography "is an effective method to increase breast cancer screening among older women."

Other sources: American Geriatrics Society