Access to breast cancer screening through a community-based mobile mammography program among underserved women in Santa Clara, CA

Introduction: The Community Health Partnership (CHP) sought to increase access to mammography screening and reduce late stage breast cancer diagnosis among underserved women in the county of Santa Clara, CA through its Community Mammography Access Project (CMAP). This project is based on a centralized community-based medical model linking community health centers (CHC) within consortium to a mobile mammography unit. The CMAP delivery model includes three key partners: CHP, a network of CHCs, and St. Joseph's Medical Center Mobile Mammography Program. Methods: The mobile unit rotates among CHCs and local sites where underserved women age 35 and older are linked to breast screening services. Through CHC in-reach, women are recruited for these full-day CMAP breast cancer screening events. Outreach occurs through Patient Navigators who recruit women to breast health education workshops where they are linked to the CMAP events. Women receive one on one support from Patient Navigators to identify resources, navigate the health care system, address cultural barriers, and establish a medical home. Results: Uninsured women are referred to CMAP's self-pay program to receive a free mammography. This community-based mobile unit strategy proved beneficial in increasing the number of women receiving breast screening. CMAP is a best practice model in prevention and wellness across the lifespan with the support of partners that are geographically located where underserved women live, are trusted by the community, and are able to address cultural and linguistic barriers. CMAP remains the only county-wide community mobile mammography resource working in collaboration with CHCs in the area.