Examining The Effectiveness Of Interventions Designed To Increase Mammography Adherence Among African American Women

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to assess and synthesize the key findings, conclusions, and recommendations of mammography interventions targeting African American women conducted between 1999 and 2010. Collection of materials for this study included searches of academic databases using the following inclusion criteria: 1) publication in the English language, 2) between 1999 and 2010, 3) conducted in the United States, 4) targeting African American women. Titles and abstracts of identified studies were evaluated independently by two researchers.

A total of 24 studies met the inclusion criteria. Interventions were categorized as either practice-based or community-based. Classifications were then sub-categorized based on the employment of targeted or tailored strategies.

Culturally-appropriate tailored and targeted messages are an effective approach to increase screening mammography adherence. Community-wide interventions that employ lay health advisors were found to assist in offsetting issues related to trust and access. Interventions delivered in faith-based settings were effective mediums for increasing adherence to screening guidelines. Stepped-care interventions were an efficient, cost-effective method for increasing adherence among non-compliant populations. The majority of the identified studies relied upon theoretical frameworks to guide the intervention. Community-based interventions should progress from atheoretical to theory-based intervention frameworks.