Implementing academic detailing for breast cancer screening in underserved communities

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>African American and Hispanic women, such as those living in the northern Manhattan and the South Bronx neighborhoods of New York City, are generally underserved with regard to breast cancer prevention and screening practices, even t...

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Main Authors: Ashford Alfred R, Gorin Sherri, Lantigua Rafael, Desai Manisha, Troxel Andrea, Gemson Donald
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2007-12-01
Series:Implementation Science
Online Access:http://www.implementationscience.com/content/2/1/43
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author Ashford Alfred R
Gorin Sherri
Lantigua Rafael
Desai Manisha
Troxel Andrea
Gemson Donald
author_facet Ashford Alfred R
Gorin Sherri
Lantigua Rafael
Desai Manisha
Troxel Andrea
Gemson Donald
author_sort Ashford Alfred R
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>African American and Hispanic women, such as those living in the northern Manhattan and the South Bronx neighborhoods of New York City, are generally underserved with regard to breast cancer prevention and screening practices, even though they are more likely to die of breast cancer than are other women. Primary care physicians (PCPs) are critical for the recommendation of breast cancer screening to their patients. Academic detailing is a promising strategy for improving PCP performance in recommending breast cancer screening, yet little is known about the effects of academic detailing on breast cancer screening among physicians who practice in medically underserved areas. We assessed the effectiveness of an enhanced, multi-component academic detailing intervention in increasing recommendations for breast cancer screening within a sample of community-based urban physicians.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two medically underserved communities were matched and randomized to intervention and control arms. Ninety-four primary care community (<it>i.e</it>., not hospital based) physicians in northern Manhattan were compared to 74 physicians in the South Bronx neighborhoods of the New York City metropolitan area. Intervention participants received enhanced physician-directed academic detailing, using the American Cancer Society guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer. Control group physicians received no intervention. We conducted interviews to measure primary care physicians' self-reported recommendation of mammography and Clinical Breast Examination (CBE), and whether PCPs taught women how to perform breast self examination (BSE).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using multivariate analyses, we found a statistically significant intervention effect on the recommendation of CBE to women patients age 40 and over; mammography and breast self examination reports increased across both arms from baseline to follow-up, according to physician self-report. At post-test, physician involvement in additional educational programs, enhanced self-efficacy in counseling for prevention, the routine use of chart reminders, computer- rather than paper-based prompting and tracking approaches, printed patient education materials, performance targets for mammography, and increased involvement of nursing and other office staff were associated with increased screening.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We found some evidence of improvement in breast cancer screening practices due to enhanced academic detailing among primary care physicians practicing in urban underserved communities.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-d769437463a84a4fb18d7f84a523ef672022-12-22T03:25:43ZengBMCImplementation Science1748-59082007-12-01214310.1186/1748-5908-2-43Implementing academic detailing for breast cancer screening in underserved communitiesAshford Alfred RGorin SherriLantigua RafaelDesai ManishaTroxel AndreaGemson Donald<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>African American and Hispanic women, such as those living in the northern Manhattan and the South Bronx neighborhoods of New York City, are generally underserved with regard to breast cancer prevention and screening practices, even though they are more likely to die of breast cancer than are other women. Primary care physicians (PCPs) are critical for the recommendation of breast cancer screening to their patients. Academic detailing is a promising strategy for improving PCP performance in recommending breast cancer screening, yet little is known about the effects of academic detailing on breast cancer screening among physicians who practice in medically underserved areas. We assessed the effectiveness of an enhanced, multi-component academic detailing intervention in increasing recommendations for breast cancer screening within a sample of community-based urban physicians.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two medically underserved communities were matched and randomized to intervention and control arms. Ninety-four primary care community (<it>i.e</it>., not hospital based) physicians in northern Manhattan were compared to 74 physicians in the South Bronx neighborhoods of the New York City metropolitan area. Intervention participants received enhanced physician-directed academic detailing, using the American Cancer Society guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer. Control group physicians received no intervention. We conducted interviews to measure primary care physicians' self-reported recommendation of mammography and Clinical Breast Examination (CBE), and whether PCPs taught women how to perform breast self examination (BSE).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using multivariate analyses, we found a statistically significant intervention effect on the recommendation of CBE to women patients age 40 and over; mammography and breast self examination reports increased across both arms from baseline to follow-up, according to physician self-report. At post-test, physician involvement in additional educational programs, enhanced self-efficacy in counseling for prevention, the routine use of chart reminders, computer- rather than paper-based prompting and tracking approaches, printed patient education materials, performance targets for mammography, and increased involvement of nursing and other office staff were associated with increased screening.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We found some evidence of improvement in breast cancer screening practices due to enhanced academic detailing among primary care physicians practicing in urban underserved communities.</p>http://www.implementationscience.com/content/2/1/43
spellingShingle Ashford Alfred R
Gorin Sherri
Lantigua Rafael
Desai Manisha
Troxel Andrea
Gemson Donald
Implementing academic detailing for breast cancer screening in underserved communities
Implementation Science
title Implementing academic detailing for breast cancer screening in underserved communities
title_full Implementing academic detailing for breast cancer screening in underserved communities
title_fullStr Implementing academic detailing for breast cancer screening in underserved communities
title_full_unstemmed Implementing academic detailing for breast cancer screening in underserved communities
title_short Implementing academic detailing for breast cancer screening in underserved communities
title_sort implementing academic detailing for breast cancer screening in underserved communities
url http://www.implementationscience.com/content/2/1/43
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AT desaimanisha implementingacademicdetailingforbreastcancerscreeninginunderservedcommunities
AT troxelandrea implementingacademicdetailingforbreastcancerscreeninginunderservedcommunities
AT gemsondonald implementingacademicdetailingforbreastcancerscreeninginunderservedcommunities