Evaluation of a Primary Care Community Health Center’s Mammogram Program in Relation to Current Evidence-Based Practice.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women over 50 years of age. Although mammograms have been proven to be effective in early detection of breast cancer, compliance rates are declining in the United States making it an objective for Healthy People 2030 to achieve and maintain a national compliance rate of 80.3%. For early detection of breast cancer among women between 50 to 74 years old to occur, an effective breast cancer screening program is vital. To understand why mammogram compliance rates were below the national average at a primary care community health center in an underserved area located in the mid-west, a program evaluation was conducted. A 12-question “Mammogram Compliance” questionnaire assessing patient knowledge, awareness, and barriers regarding the organization’s current breast cancer screening program was implemented. Data analysis revealed that some respondents were not receiving education from their provider on breast cancer screening (20%) and some were experiencing barriers such as lack of transportation (7.27%), fear of pain (10.91%), or fear of results (16.36%). In addition, some respondents lacked awareness of a mobile mammography unit available in their community (35.71%), potentially impacting overall compliance rates. Recommendations for practice to address these findings were found in an extensive literature review. According to current evidence-based practice, patient navigators are an effective solution to increase compliance rates and address barriers by building patient rapport and providing education and needed resources.