15) Enhancing Provider Communication on Breast Cancer Screening
        Kelly Dorgan, ETSU Dept. of Communication

     SUMMARY
     Findings from multiple studies indicate that communication between physicians and other primary care providers and women patients about use of breast cancer screening is less than optimal. Using several existing communication and socio-behavioral constructs and drawing on evaluations by health care providers and patients, a CD-Rom entitled “Physician-Patient Partnership: Overcoming Barriers to Breast Cancer Screening” was developed over a one-year period. The CD includes explanation of research findings regarding patient-perceived barriers to use of care and lists communicative tips to providers about how to more effectively communicate with women and encourage screening.

     FINDINGS
     15.1   Data from a survey of rural Appalachian women who attended a larger health fair, respondents (women, 40 years and older) indicted they already use the healthcare system. 90% of survey participants had received care at a doctor’s office or clinic within the last year. However there still appears to be resistance to participating in breast cancer screening. 30% of the population was underscreened (rarely or never screened).
     15.2   Well over half of the health fair survey participants indicated that they believed early cancer detection resulted in lives saved. The vast majority of the underscreened women believed that most women survive breast cancer beyond five years. These results suggested the presence of optimism, not fatalism, regarding screening and breast cancer survival.
     15.3   In the end, the RAM data repeated suggested the presence of understanding about the importance of breast screening; therefore, we explored other possible barriers to screening behavior. Once fatalism was ruled out 3 other possible barriers to screening behavior were identified: 1) Low perceived risk; 2) Low life priority (e.g., “My health isn’t a high priority”); 3) Poor access to screening facilities.

Provider Communication Article (PDF File)

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