Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Current literature shows reduced breast cancer mortality is associated with compliance of mammographic screenings (Duffy, 2020), specifically increasing the survival rate an estimated 1-2% every year for the past thirty years (Giordano, 2004). However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, rates of basic cancer screenings, including breast cancer, all declined (Chen, 2021). Unfortunately, even in a “post-pandemic” world, years after the height of the pandemic, the Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Family Medicine Office has noticed many female patients still have not kept up with their routine basic healthcare screenings. While there are many barriers in access to healthcare, this survey-based study aims to uncover the rates of mammograms and barriers affecting patients’ completion of Breast Cancer screenings since the Covid-19 pandemic. A fourteen question survey was distributed to 65 female patients between the ages of 40 and 75, in a Suburban Family Medicine Office. The survey responses were analyzed and the findings provide insight on the barriers hindering patients from conducting their annual mammograms. 58.46% of participants did not complete their annual mammogram screening in the recommended time frame. The largest variation of responses as to why women did not complete their mammogram regarded the time commitment of appointments. Even though we are technically in a “post-pandemic” time, there is still a gap in participation in routine screening exams. This data informs healthcare providers about the barriers in preventative healthcare and will help providers better understand patients’ needs to improve women’s health outcomes.
Clarke et al. (Thu,) studied this question.