Reattendance in the Swiss mammography screening pilot programme.

Abstract

To explore the patterns and determinants of reattendance among initial attendees at an organised breast cancer screening programme. Swiss mammography screening pilot programme, based on first-round enrollment in 1993-1995. Data on socio-demographic features, health preventive behaviour and history, prior screening round and referring physicians' attributes were collected at initial attendance. First-round attendees (n=4162) were followed prospectively through next screening round. Determinants of reattendance were identified by multivariate logistic regression. Reattendance rate was high (80%). Women most likely to reattend were urban, Swiss residents with a true-negative first-round screening result. The more intensive the initial recruitment efforts, the lesser were the odds of reattendance. Mammography screening prior to screening enrolment increased reattendance. Having a gynaecologist, a female and a younger doctor as a referring physician was positively associated with reattendance. Mammography screening attendance is not only influenced by women-related factors but also by structural factors, and thus requires a global approach. For strategies aimed at improving performances of organised cancer screening programmes, understanding and quantification of determinants of (re)attendance are key elements to consider.