Implementing academic detailing for breast cancer screening in underserved communities.

BACKGROUND: 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. METHODS: Two medically underserved communities were matched and randomized to intervention and control arms. Ninety-four primary care community (i.e., 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). RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.

Intraurban influences on physician colorectal cancer screening practices.

BACKGROUND: Community social and economic resources influence colorectal (CRC) screening decisions by physicians and patients. The aim of this study is to systematically assess the differences in screening recommendations of primary care physicians within two urban communities that are distinct in socioeconomic characteristics. METHODS: Two-hundred-sixty-four primary care community (i.e., not hospital-based) physicians were stratified by community. Using self-report questionnaires, we examined primary care physicians' CRC screening practices, knowledge of risk factors and perceived physician and patient barriers to screening, Physicians practicing in upper-socioeconomic status (SES) communities were compared with those of participants practicing in lower SES communities. RESULTS: Physicians practicing in low-SES urban communities were significantly more likely to screen with fecal occult blood test than were physicians in upper-SES areas. Alternatively, upper-SES physicians were significantly more likely to recommend screening colonoscopy than were lower-SES physicians. The number of physicians (N=11) who screened for CRC using the double-contrast barium enema were few. CONCLUSIONS: Community-level SES influences physician cancer screening practices. Further understanding of these relationships may guide the development of interventions targeted to specific neighborhoods within urban areas.

Effectiveness of academic detailing on breast cancer screening among primary care physicians in an underserved community.

BACKGROUND: Urban minority groups, such as those living in northern Manhattan and the South Bronx, are generally underserved with regard to breast cancer prevention and screening practices. Primary care physicians are critical for the recommendation of mammography and clinical breast examinations to their patients. DESIGN: Two medically underserved communities were matched and block randomized. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of academic detailing in increasing recommendations for breast cancer screening in community-based primary care physicians. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-four primary care community-based (ie, not hospital-based) physicians in northern Manhattan were compared with 74 physicians in the South Bronx who received no intervention. INTERVENTION: INTERVENTION participants received multicomponent physician-directed education, academic detailing, using the American Cancer Society guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We administered interviews to ask about primary care physicians' recommendation of mammography and clinical breast examination. They were also queried about their knowledge of major risk factors and perceived barriers to breast cancer screening. We conducted medical audits of 710 medical charts 2 years before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Using a mixed models linear analysis, we found a statistically significant intervention effect on the recommendation of mammography and clinical breast examination (according to medical audit) by female patients age 40 and over. INTERVENTION group physicians correctly identified significantly more risk factors for breast cancer, and significantly fewer barriers to practice, than did comparison physicians. CONCLUSIONS: We found some evidence of improvement in breast cancer screening practices due to academic detailing among primary care physicians practicing in urban underserved communities.