Comparison of three methods to increase knowledge about breast cancer and breast cancer screening in screening mammography patients.

Rationale And Objectives: The specific aim of the study was to determine which of several cost-effective interventions is best able to improve the breast cancer knowledge of women who present for screening mammography.

Materials And Methods: A total of 198 English-speaking women, with no personal or family history of breast cancer, were recruited and randomized to four groups when they presented to the clinic for a screening mammogram. All women filled in a demographic data form and answered a questionnaire containing nine questions about breast cancer, risk, and screening to assess their knowledge and perception. Three educational interventions were tested in this study. The first consisted of a brochure, which provided answers to the questionnaire items and addressed the issues in more depth. The second intervention was an educational conversation with a specially trained mammography technologist. She reviewed the subject's answers to the questionnaire items correcting and/or clarifying them. The third intervention consisted of the brochure together with the conversation with a trained technologist. There was also a control group that just filled in the study questionnaire but did not receive an educational intervention. The same questionnaire was administered by telephone 4 to 6 weeks after the screening experience to all study subjects. Changes in their knowledge and perceptions of breast cancer were measured and compared.

Results: A statistically significant increase in knowledge was found in all of the three investigated groups compared to the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in the amount of increase between women who underwent different interventions.

Conclusions: All three interventions resulted in increased knowledge about breast cancer and screening. No differences in the amount of knowledge increase were found between three interventions tested. The educational brochure seems to represent the most convenient and least costly method to increase knowledge about breast cancer and screening among women who present for screening mammography.