Improving communication to increase uptake of high-risk breast cancer prevention appointments: Building a better letter
Objective: Mailed letters to women identified as being at high-risk for developing breast cancer were not having the desired effect for encouraging appointments with prevention-focused providers at a large Midwest healthcare system. A partnership with communication scholars sought to revise the lett...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-12-01
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| Series: | PEC Innovation |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S277262822400102X |
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| author | Evan K. Perrault Maria K. Venetis Tarah J. Ballinger |
| author_facet | Evan K. Perrault Maria K. Venetis Tarah J. Ballinger |
| author_sort | Evan K. Perrault |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: Mailed letters to women identified as being at high-risk for developing breast cancer were not having the desired effect for encouraging appointments with prevention-focused providers at a large Midwest healthcare system. A partnership with communication scholars sought to revise the letter to increase awareness, intentions, and appointments. Methods: Guided by the Extended Parallel Process Model, survey responses were collected from letter recipients over the course of two years, both pre and post letter revision. Appointments attributed to letters were also tracked. Results: Recipients of the revised letter had increased knowledge regarding the length of prevention appointments and indicated greater self-efficacy and intentions to make and attend appointments compared to those who received the non-revised letter. A greater percentage who received the revised letter also made appointments. Conclusion: Partnering with communication scholars helped with improving a letter mailed to thousands of patients each year. Finding ways to increase response-efficacy of breast cancer prevention activities within communications may assist in increasing appointments. Innovation: Cross-disciplinary partnerships across the medical and social sciences – while not quick or simple – are essential for finding ways to improve patient wellbeing and hopefully reducing the prevalence of preventable diseases in the future. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7cede6245a984a28a8ed55ac7dc34e7b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2772-6282 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PEC Innovation |
| spelling | doaj-art-7cede6245a984a28a8ed55ac7dc34e7b2025-08-20T02:37:49ZengElsevierPEC Innovation2772-62822024-12-01510035410.1016/j.pecinn.2024.100354Improving communication to increase uptake of high-risk breast cancer prevention appointments: Building a better letterEvan K. Perrault0Maria K. Venetis1Tarah J. Ballinger2Purdue University, Brian Lamb School of Communication, 100 N. University St., West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Corresponding author.Rutgers University, School of Communication and Information, New Brunswick, NJ, USAIndiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USAObjective: Mailed letters to women identified as being at high-risk for developing breast cancer were not having the desired effect for encouraging appointments with prevention-focused providers at a large Midwest healthcare system. A partnership with communication scholars sought to revise the letter to increase awareness, intentions, and appointments. Methods: Guided by the Extended Parallel Process Model, survey responses were collected from letter recipients over the course of two years, both pre and post letter revision. Appointments attributed to letters were also tracked. Results: Recipients of the revised letter had increased knowledge regarding the length of prevention appointments and indicated greater self-efficacy and intentions to make and attend appointments compared to those who received the non-revised letter. A greater percentage who received the revised letter also made appointments. Conclusion: Partnering with communication scholars helped with improving a letter mailed to thousands of patients each year. Finding ways to increase response-efficacy of breast cancer prevention activities within communications may assist in increasing appointments. Innovation: Cross-disciplinary partnerships across the medical and social sciences – while not quick or simple – are essential for finding ways to improve patient wellbeing and hopefully reducing the prevalence of preventable diseases in the future.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S277262822400102XBreast cancerPreventionCommunicationLetterMailingHealth communication |
| spellingShingle | Evan K. Perrault Maria K. Venetis Tarah J. Ballinger Improving communication to increase uptake of high-risk breast cancer prevention appointments: Building a better letter PEC Innovation Breast cancer Prevention Communication Letter Mailing Health communication |
| title | Improving communication to increase uptake of high-risk breast cancer prevention appointments: Building a better letter |
| title_full | Improving communication to increase uptake of high-risk breast cancer prevention appointments: Building a better letter |
| title_fullStr | Improving communication to increase uptake of high-risk breast cancer prevention appointments: Building a better letter |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving communication to increase uptake of high-risk breast cancer prevention appointments: Building a better letter |
| title_short | Improving communication to increase uptake of high-risk breast cancer prevention appointments: Building a better letter |
| title_sort | improving communication to increase uptake of high risk breast cancer prevention appointments building a better letter |
| topic | Breast cancer Prevention Communication Letter Mailing Health communication |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S277262822400102X |
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