Learning Objective #1: Understand the relationship between rural women's health beliefs about mammography and its relationship to healthcare reibursement type

Learning Objective #2: Understand the perceptions of women who get mammography related to their health care insurance

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Breast cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in women who reside in the United States (National Institute of Health, 2004). Screening for breast cancer in rural Southwest Michigan has not been studied and reported in the literature. The research does show that barriers and benefits to mammography can be impacted by outside factors such as perceived threat and personal contact with breast cancer. Although breast cancer screening guidelines have changed repeatedly throughout the past 25 years, mammography is still the best definitive exam in postmenopausal women (U.S. Preventative task Force, 2003). The purpose of this initial breast cancer screening study in Cass County is to determine if there is a difference in the perceived benefits and barriers of mammography among women in rural southwest Michigan ages 40-60 who have different types of healthcare reimbursement. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was used as the theoretical base. The HBM looks at perceived barriers and benefit to the outcome, in this case the outcome is mammography (Rosenstock, 1974). This study was meant to replicate and support prior research in breast cancer screening. The instrument used was a modified version of the Health Belief Model Scales by Victoria Champion (1999). Prior reliability and validity have been established with this type of study group. The findings provided insight to the complex issues of breast cancer screening, related to why women may choose to have or not to have mammography, related to the type of health care reimbursement. This research is disseminated in the aggregate to protect and benefit the women of Cass County. This may also be the basis for further research on breast cancer in Cass County Michigan.