OBJECTIVE: To examine mammography utilization and subsequent clinical decisions in a skilled nursing facility in women aged 75 years and older with no history of breast cancer. METHODS: This study was a retrospective medical chart review of 95 women living in a skilled nursing facility aged 75 years and older who did not have a history of breast cancer. RESULTS: One-hundred seventy-nine mammograms were performed on 95 patients with an average of 1.9 mammograms per patient. Forty-five percent of the women had some evidence of abnormal results requiring further investigation. DISCUSSION: Determining the utility of screening mammography in long-term care populations is essential to the development of appropriate guidelines. Future research should further explore the influence of patient preferences and psychological burden.
OBJECTIVE: To examine mammography utilization and subsequent clinical decisions in a skilled nursing facility in women aged 75 years and older with no history of breast cancer. METHODS: This study was a retrospective medical chart review of 95 women living in a skilled nursing facility aged 75 years and older who did not have a history of breast cancer. RESULTS: One-hundred seventy-nine mammograms were performed on 95 patients with an average of 1.9 mammograms per patient. Forty-five percent of the women had some evidence of abnormal results requiring further investigation. DISCUSSION: Determining the utility of screening mammography in long-term care populations is essential to the development of appropriate guidelines. Future research should further explore the influence of patient preferences and psychological burden.