The effect of conflicting versus consistent messaging on older women's support for breast cancer screening cessation.
Nancy L Schoenborn, Sarah E Gollust, Craig E Pollack and 4 others
PMID 39874687WHAT IT FOUND
Older women who first heard a continuation message, then a clinician cessation message, still supported stopping for a hypothetical patient more than those with no message, but less than those hearing consistent cessation messages.
Negative reactions were low.
Key findings
01In the analyzed sample of 3809 women, 38.0% who received a continuation message followed by a clinician cessation message supported stopping for the hypothetical patient, compared with 45.8% who received consistent cessation messages and 17.8% who received no message.
02For own intentions, a continuation message followed by a clinician cessation message was not significantly different from no message and was lower than consistent cessation messages; dichotomized intention was 23.1% with continuation followed by cessation, 20.4% with no message and 28.6% with consistent cessation messages.
03Overall confusion, distrust and ambivalence were low: fewer than 9% strongly agreed with any of these in any group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was not fully representative: participants were younger, more likely to be White and more educated than national census data. Compared with non-completers, completers were less likely to be worried about breast cancer and more likely to be White. The scenario was hypothetical, so responses may not reflect real clinical decisions. The clinician message always recommended stopping, so it does not test situations where clinicians disagree. The study did not measure actual changes in screening behavior.
Declared interests
An author has stock ownership in Gilead Sciences, Inc. The authors state they do not believe this affected the study design, methodology or results.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that these messages will reduce actual mammography rates or that conflicting messages cause no reaction. The study tested message sequences in a hypothetical survey, measured support and intentions rather than screening behavior, and negative reactions were higher than in the no-message group.