title: Loss-framed minimal intervention increases mammography use.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although mammography is the most effective early detection breast cancer screening technology available, it is underutilized. This study was conducted to test the effectiveness of a loss-framed minimal intervention to increase mammography use. Loss-frame refers to a communication strategy in which messages are framed from the perspective of what a person has to lose by not taking a particular behavioral action.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were medically un- and underinsured women 50-64 years old who called one of two urban clinics randomly selected based on demographic statistical equivalency. The women who participated telephoned to inquire about a mammogram during the 6-month study period. The group randomly designated as the experimental group received a loss-framed message conveyed by trained staff telephonically. Members of the comparison group received the "usual" communication, also conveyed telephonically. In the experimental group, 31 of 112 (27%) women who inquired received mammograms, whereas 157 of the 992 (16%) comparison group women who inquired received mammograms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The odds of a mammogram, adjusted for race and breast cancer symptoms, significantly increased for the experimental (odds ratio [OR] = 1.914, chi2 = 7.48, p = .0063, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20-3.05) versus comparison group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A loss-framed, in-reach, minimal intervention approach holds promise as a mammography promotion strategy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-1493, USA. dabood@mailer.fsu.edu
authors.forename: Doris A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Abood
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Coster
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data