Barriers to screening among participants of a media-promoted breast cancer screening project.

Breast cancer detection and awareness projects have been implemented nationwide in an attempt to increase compliance with screening mammography. Previous studies, however, showed that the elderly, minorities, and women of lower socioeconomic status fail to respond in representative numbers. A cross-sectional analysis of 6640 participants of a Breast Cancer Detection and Awareness Project in Tampa, FL, was conducted to determine if barriers and motivations to screening differed among targeted (the elderly, minorities, women of lower socioeconomic status) and nontargeted groups. Targeted demographic groups reported far more barriers to screening and fewer motivating factors in their decision to participate in screening. This was true for the elderly, minorities, and women of lower socioeconomic status. Women in greater need of screening mammography report fewer motivations, and must overcome greater barriers to participate in media-promoted breast screening projects. Changes in the design and promotion of these screening projects must occur to prevent reverse targeting.