Annual Mammogram for Caucasian Women

PICO Plan of Care
Population
The population selected comprises of Caucasian women who are under the age of 50. This population has been selected because they are more prone to breast cancer and require regular mammogram tests to be conducted. Jacobs et al. (2014) has shown that Caucasian women are more likely to develop breast cancer when they are in their 40s. The women come from upper-middle-class backgrounds and most of them have been working all their lives. Middle-class families have good health insurance and they might be living in good neighborhoods. However, most of the women might not prefer to undergo regular breast cancer screening. Being well-educated women, they are aware of the benefits of undergoing breast screening, but they might get too busy and keep postponing it. Leading busy lives makes them not have enough time to schedule for screening and this results in most of the breast cancer cases being discovered a bit late. The spiritual needs of the women are well taken care of. The women's beliefs and practices have a huge impact on their lives. With close bonds with family and people they can easily open up to, the spiritual needs of the women are well cared for. This support system is beneficial to the women even if they might not live as close to each other as one would expect. The women need to take better care of themselves. Understanding how one can care for them self and with the tools needed, the women are better protected against diseases.
Delivery of Care Using Telehealth
Patients and populations can easily gain access to health care providers for phone and video visits using their personal devices. This is beneficial to our population because they might not be able to visit a health care provider as often as they would prefer. Considering the busy lifestyles, they live, it would be easier to schedule a phone or video visit that can be conducted wherever they might be. Delivering care on demand using telehealth, people will not be delaying visits or treatments. This will be beneficial to the population as they will receive the necessary care on time and avoid serious complications. Care can be personalized to the individual and the doctor visits can be scheduled to suit their lifestyles. One does not have to physically visit a hospital or care provider in order for them to receive the care they need or require (Yao & Camacho, 2015). This makes it cost effective and saves on time. Delivery of care is improved as the women would be more willing to consult or talk to a doctor at their comfort. Without disrupting their schedules and spending many hours queuing at a hospital, the women are more likely to embrace telehealth. Instant delivery of care when needed makes telehealth a viable option for the selected population. Living in a remote area might also have its challenges and using telehealth, the women can be able to access care easily. Professionals can also consult with each other and this improves the care offered to a single patient.
PICO
Our PICO is:
Population: Caucasian women under age 50
Intervention: Annual mammogram
Comparison: Compared with a mammogram every 3 years
Outcome: More effective in detecting breast cancer
Our PICOT statement is "Undergoing annual mammogram for Caucasian women under the age of 50 is more effective in detecting breast cancer when compared to undergoing a mammogram every 3 years."
According to Takkar et al. (2017) undergoing annual mammogram makes it easier to detect breast cancer at an earlier stage and allows for preventive measures to be undertaken early. Going for screening every three years might result in delayed detection of breast cancer. A mammogram is the best defense against breast cancer because it allows for the detection of the disease earlier as compared to a breast exam. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that women who are more prone to getting breast cancer are able to detect the disease early. Early detection, especially for Caucasian women, has been shown to result in better outcomes for treatment.
Plan of Care
It is vital for women to understand the impact of early breast cancer screening. Training and educating women using telehealth will encourage them to undergo annual mammogram screening. The impact of annual mammogram screening should also be communicated to the women. This will ensure that they better understand the risk they face of breast cancer and the best way to ensure they can treat the disease early. Using mobile apps, one can deliver information regarding the effects of breast cancer and the methods that women can use to detect breast cancer. Delivering the information using a mobile app is much easier and it will reach as many women as possible. Information will also be provided regarding the closest facility that a woman can visit in order for them to undergo a mammogram. This will be done using geolocation. Apps can also be used to send reminders to the women for them to undergo the annual mammogram. Considering that most people are likely to forget or might keep postponing the screening, it is better to ensure that they have a way of being reminded. There should also be information on what a person can do in case they find they have breast cancer. This will include treatment options and locations they can seek treatment. Mammogram images can also be shared with the patient making it easier for them to carry them in case they need a second opinion.
References
Jacobs, E. A., Rathouz, P. J., Karavolos, K., Everson-Rose, S. A., Janssen, I., Kravitz, H. M., . . . Powell, L. H. (2014). Perceived discrimination is associated with reduced breast and cervical cancer screening: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Journal of women's health, 23(2), 138-145.
Takkar, N., Kochhar, S., Garg, P., Pandey, A., Dalal, U. R., & Handa, U. (2017). Screening methods (clinical breast examination and mammography) to detect breast cancer in women aged 40–49 years. Journal of mid-life health, 8(1), 2.
Yao, N., & Camacho, F. (2015). Effect of inadequate access to radiologists on the benefits of screening mammography: American Society of Clinical Oncology.