title: Patient reminder letters to promote annual mammograms: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study assessed the effects of a reminder letter from a physician (relative to a mammography facility letter or no letter) on appointment compliance among women 50-74 years of age due for an annual screening mammogram.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,562 women were randomly as signed to the groups. Each Group 1 subject received a reminder letter from her physician, each Group 2 subject received a reminder letter from her mammography facility, and Group 3 served as a control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The return rates for Groups 1, 2, and 3 were 47.7, 46.6, and 28.3%, respectively; the overall difference was significant using a chi(2) analysis (P < 0.001). Bonferroni pairwise comparisons indicated no difference between Groups 1 and 2 but significant differences (P < 0.001) between Group 3 and the other two groups. Logistic regression indicated that relative to Group 3, the adjusted odds of returning for Groups 1 and 2 were 2.37 and 2.24, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mammography providers and their patients likely will benefit from in-reach reminder systems. Physicians who do not use reminder systems should refer their patients to facilities that use these systems.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182-4162, USA. jmayer@mail.sdsu.edu
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Slymen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dullum
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurata
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holbrook
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Elder
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015709:Correspondence as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017010:Reminder Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires