Predisposing factors associated with compliance to biennial breast screening among centers with and without nurses.
BACKGROUND
Previous research suggests that predisposing factors such as previous screening experience, participation in preventive health behaviors, and knowledge/beliefs about breast cancer and screening influence a woman's decision to make a timely return for a second screen.


METHODS
A stratified random sample of compliers and noncompliers to biennial screening were selected from a cohort of 51,242 women ages 50 to 65 years who had their initial screen at the Ontario Breast Screening Program. In total, 1,901 women were telephone-interviewed. The associations between predisposing factors and compliance were estimated separately for centers with and without nurses using logistic regression analyses adjusted for demographics and smoking status.


RESULTS
Women screened at nurse centers were less likely to comply if they thought women should stop having mammograms before age 70 years [odds ratio (OR), 0.39; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.19-0.79], did not consider mammograms very likely to find cancer (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.56-0.95), felt their likeliness of getting breast cancer was below average (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.54-0.89), or believed a high-fat diet was not an important risk factor for breast cancer (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36-0.97). Women attending nurse centers were significantly more likely to comply if they sometimes had thoughts or worries about developing breast cancer (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.10-1.80).


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses at screening centers may reinforce a woman's knowledge or beliefs about breast cancer or screening and as a result increase their compliance to biennial breast screening.
Edwards
Sarah A
SA
Population Studies and Surveillance, Cancer Care Ontario, 620 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2L7.
Chiarelli
Anna M
AM
Stewart
Lindsay
L
Majpruz
Vicky
V
Ritvo
Paul
P
Mai
Verna
V
D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008327:Mammography / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires