Preventive Care and Screening Adherence Among Women Surviving Breast Cancer
<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Routine preventive care, including physical examinations, mammography, and cervical cancer screening, is critical for long-term health maintenance and recurrence surveillance among breast cancer survivors. Community-based organizations (CBOs) may play a key role in supporting adherence to these services through education, navigation, and survivorship care planning. <b>Methods</b>: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from <i>N</i> = 777 breast cancer survivors who contacted a national cancer-focused CBO for resources, including no-cost patient navigation. Preventive care adherence was measured via a composite index based on self-reported receipt of physical exams, mammograms, and Pap smears at guideline-recommended intervals. Patient-reported outcomes were assessed 30 days post-contact, including Survivorship Care Planning (SCP) receipt and quality of life (QoL). <b>Results</b>: Adherence to all three guideline-based screenings was reported by 66% of BCS, 29% adhered to two, and 6% to one or fewer. Physical exams had the highest adherence rate (97%), followed by mammograms (88%) and Pap smears (73%). Bivariate analyses showed higher adherence among younger survivors (t = 4.59, df = 711, <i>p</i> < 0.001), non-white survivors (t = -3.27, df = 267, <i>p</i> < 0.001), those in partnered relationships (t = 1.76, df = 54, <i>p</i> < 0.05), and individuals with better QoL (r = -0.09, <i>p</i> < 0.01). Receipt of SCP components was associated with a trend toward improved adherence: 56% received a care summary, 64% received follow-up instructions, and 45% received written materials (r = 0.05, <i>p</i> < 0.10). In multivariable regression adjusting for partnership status and SCP receipt, younger age (B = 1.13, <i>p</i> < 0.001), non-white race/ethnicity (B = 1.00, <i>p</i> < 0.01), and higher QoL scores (B = 0.09, <i>p</i> < 0.05) were significantly associated with greater adherence. <b>Conclusions</b>: Engagement with a CBO was associated with high levels of adherence to preventive care among breast cancer survivors-especially those who were younger, non-white, and with better QoL. SCP, particularly when delivered in written form with follow-up instructions, may support improved adherence. These findings highlight the value of CBO-led survivorship support in promoting long-term health maintenance for breast cancer survivors.
Authors
- Marcelo M. Sleiman
- Adina Fleischmann
- D. Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8645-625X)
- Kenneth P. Tercyak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0274-556X)
- Muriel R. Statman
- Anthony J. Zisa
Institutions
- Georgetown University (US)
- Georgetown University Medical Center (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cancers
- Published
- 2025-08-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17172837
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Economic and Financial Impacts of Cancer
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.13
Funders
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- National Cancer Institute