![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Learning Objective 1: identify the unique public health issues surronding women who use the ED as their primary source of health care.
Learning Objective 2: understand the feasibility and need for innovative programs to address mammography promotion in women who use the ED for non urgent complaints.
Methods: This study was a prospective, cross-sectional study of women presenting to a 40 bed ED in a University hospital for treatment of non urgent complaints and those who were seated in the waiting area, during representative shifts over a 6 month period in 2007. The women completed a survey that included demographic information, mammography status, and barriers to mammography. Participants were also asked if they would be interested in receiving information about mammography and assistance with making appointments for mammography while waiting for non-urgent care in the ED.
Results: Of the 197 women surveyed, 15% had never had a mammogram and of those who had, 51% had not had one in the past year. Of those who had not had a mammogram in the last year, the most frequently chosen barriers were time/competing demands (30%), money (26%), and fear (22%). Seventy-six percent said they were somewhat to very interested in receiving information about mammography in this setting and nearly all (94%) said they would be somewhat to very likely to go to appointments made during this time.
Conclusion: An ED-based mammography promotion program is both feasible and would most likely be successful. The women presenting for non-urgent care in the ED are overwhelmingly in need of mammography and are highly interested in the development of an innovative programs specific to their identified barriers.