Adherence to mammography guidelines among women over 39 in rural northern Michigan: A comparison of medically under-served counties to adequately served counties

While clinical trials show that early detection of breast cancer through mammography reduces breast cancer fatalities, many women do not follow mammography guidelines. In rural areas, adherence to guidelines appears to be especially low. The study hypothesizes that women who live in Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) are less likely to follow recommended guidelines than women who live in adequately served counties.;Results of the analyses performed do not support the main study hypothesis. This may support the notion that living in an MUA is less an obstacle to service access as originally thought, due in part to an increasingly mobile society, efficient breast cancer awareness education, and efficacious health care services. While the main study hypothesis is not supported, four factors do predict lower adherence to screening guidelines in this rural population: low levels of education, lack of insurance, not being married, and being in a large household.