Using social marketing model to persuade the women to do mammography

The role of mammography in early detection of b reast cancer is evident and persuasion to do that is very important in health sector. Majority of the interventions are based on education and informing and there has been less attention to making mammography cost beneficent. This study aimed at assessing the effect of a social marketing-based intervention to persuade to do mammography in Bojnord. In this quasi-experimental study, two villages around Bojnurd with similar demographic characteristics, considered as intervention and comparison groups randomly. All 35- years and older women consist of 343 women (151 in intervention and 191 in comparison groups) were identified. To obtain the main idea for intervention, and exploring the viewpoints of target group about mammography, a formative research combined of a quantitative survey (through completing the questionnaire for assessing the women’s attitudes based on health belief model) and a qualitative study (through establishing four focus group discussions) was done. According to the gathered and analyzed data, an intervention focused on the main barriers designed and implemented through four weeks. One week after the intervention, the number of mammograms in two villages was determined and compared. Quantitative survey showed that the mean of the scores related to expending time and high economical costs (perceived barriers); not remember to do mammography and fear of exposure to x- ray is less than other constructs. In qualitative study, time expending and high economical cost considered as two main factors related to not doing mammography. After the intervention, 48.1 percent of the women in intervention group went to do mammography and there are no change similar results in comparison group. Educational interventions are not enough to persuade women to do mammography and we have to consider their perceived barriers and concerns. One of the most effective approach to promote an idea, behavior or service, is identifying the viewpoints of target group and design them as consumer- oriented programs. So, acceptance of the idea and behavior will be cost-beneficent.