Patient Reminder Letters to Promote Annual Mammograms: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Published in: Preventive medicine 2000-10, Vol.31 (4), p.315-322
• Main Authors: Mayer, Joni A., Lewis, Elizabeth C., Slymen, Donald J., Dullum, Joanna, Kurata, Heather, Holbrook, Angela, Elder, John P., Williams, Stephen J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adherence; Aged; Breast Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Breast Diseases - prevention & control; Correspondence as Topic; Female; Humans; Mammography - statistics & numerical data; mammography screening; Middle Aged; Patient Compliance; Pilot Projects; randomized controlled trial; Reminder Systems - instrumentation; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0091-7435; 1096-0260
• DOI: 10.1006/pmed.2000.0718

Background. This study assessed the effects of a reminder letter from a physician (relative to a mammography facility letter or no letter) on appointment compliance among women 50–74 years of age due for an annual screening mammogram. Methods. A total of 1,562 women were randomly as signed to the groups. Each Group 1 subject received a reminder letter from her physician, each Group 2 subject received a reminder letter from her mammography facility, and Group 3 served as a control group. Results. The return rates for Groups 1, 2, and 3 were 47.7, 46.6, and 28.3%, respectively; the overall difference was significant using a ϰ;s2 analysis (P< 0.001). Bonferroni pairwise comparisons indicated no difference between Groups 1 and 2 but significant differences (P< 0.001) between Group 3 and the other two groups. Logistic regression indicated that relative to Group 3, the adjusted odds of returning for Groups 1 and 2 were 2.37 and 2.24, respectively. Conclusions. Mammography providers and their patients likely will benefit from in-reach reminder systems. Physicians who do not use reminder systems should refer their patients to facilities that use these systems.