Henry Ford Health Increases Breast Cancer Screenings Among Underserved Populations

Henry Ford participated in the Return-to-Screening Study led by American College of Surgeons and American Cancer Society

DETROIT (Aug. 18, 2022) - The breast cancer team at Henry Ford Healthincreased breast cancer screenings 17% among African American women and 35% among Hispanic women in 2021 through Henry Ford's participation in the Return to Screeningstudy, an effort led by the American College of Surgeonsin collaboration with the American Cancer Societyaimed at encouraging patients to resume their appropriate routine cancer screenings and follow up care, which declined significantly following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

The Return to Screening study enrolled 748 accredited cancer programs in the United States, and each of the participating sites was encouraged to use evidence-based interventions known to be effective in raising screening rates. At Henry Ford, efforts were focused on breast cancer screenings among African American and Hispanic women between the ages of 40 and 75.

"African American and Hispanic women between the ages of 40 and 75 have generally had lower mammography rates than other groups, even before the pandemic started," said Jessica Bensenhaver, M.D., Director of the Breast Cancer Programat Henry Ford Health. "Getting the appropriate recommended routine cancer screenings is an important part of protecting your health. If screenings are missed, it can lead to cancer being detected at a later stage, which may be more challenging to treat."

As part of this initiative, Henry Ford hosted virtual focus groups with community members to help identify the barriers preventing people from getting their routine breast cancer screenings.

"We initially expected logistical issues, such as the lack of transportation or childcare, to be common reasons for the decline in cancer screenings," said Donna Long, R.N., Manager of Screening and Tumor Boards at Henry Ford Health Cancer. "What we saw more commonly than those responses was that many women were not aware they needed to be getting cancer screenings, as well as fear about what the tests might show."

To help promote education about screening, nurses provided educational presentations to local congregations in Southeast Michigan. The presentations described what to expect during a mammogram, addressed common fears and myths about cancer screening, and provided information on financial and transportation resources for those in need. Additionally, bookmarks were distributed to community groups and clinics, which provided education on breast cancer risk factors, why screening matters, when it is needed, and breast cancer warning signs. Henry Ford and the American Cancer Society also hosted specific "Make Time for a Mammogram" days throughout 2021 to make it easy for women ages 40 and older to plan for and schedule a mammogram.

To continue helping women get back on track with their mammograms, Henry Ford is again offering a "Make Time for a Mammogram" day on August 27 with appointments available at Henry Ford Cancer - Detroit.

To learn more or request an appointment, visit henryford.com/mammogramor call 313-916-2932.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Adkins / 586.307.2027 / [email protected]

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