Translation of an efficacious cancer-screening intervention to women enrolled in a Medicaid managed care organization.
OBJECTIVE
An earlier randomized controlled trial of prevention care management (PCM) found significant improvement in breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer-screening rates among women attending Community Health Centers but required substantial research support. This study evaluated the impact of a streamlined PCM delivered through a Medicaid managed care organization (MMCO), an infrastructure with the potential to sustain this program for the long term.


METHODS
This randomized trial was conducted within an MMCO serving New York City between May 2005 and December 2005. A total of 1,316 women aged 40 to 69 years and not up to date for at least 1 targeted cancer-screening test were randomized to either PCM or a comparison group. Women in the PCM group received up to 3 scripted telephone calls to identify barriers and provide support to obtain any needed breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer-screening tests. Women in the comparison group received a modified version of the MMCO's established mammography telephone outreach program, also in up to 3 calls. Women in both groups received a financial incentive on confirmation that they had received a mammogram. Screening status was assessed through MMCO administrative data. Groups were compared using odds ratios.


RESULTS
In an intent-to-treat comparison adjusted for baseline screening status, PCM women were 1.69 times more likely to be up-to-date for colorectal cancer-screening tests at follow-up than women in the comparison group (95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.77). Follow-up screening rates for cervical and breast cancer did not differ significantly between study groups on an intent-to-treat basis.


CONCLUSIONS
The abbreviated PCM telephone intervention was feasible to deliver through an MMCO and improved screening for 1 cancer. This approach has the potential to improve cancer-screening rates significantly in settings that can provide telephone support to women known to be overdue.
Dietrich
Allen J
AJ
Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA. Allen.J.Dietrich@dartmouth.edu
Tobin
Jonathan N
JN
Cassells
Andrea
A
Robinson
Christina M
CM
Reh
Meredith
M
Romero
Karen A
KA
Flood
Ann Barry
AB
Beach
Michael L
ML
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008484:Medicaid; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011203:Poverty; D017010:Reminder Systems; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013689:Telephone; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*