8. Informing women about their results
8.1 Should a letter vs. nothing be used for informing women who have a negative screening result?
Recommendation
The ECIBC's Guidelines Development Group (GDG) suggests using a letter for informing women who have a negative screening result.
Issued in June 2018.
Justification
The GDG made a conditional recommendation for the intervention, based on the moderate costs, the probably increased equity and the judgement that the intervention was probably acceptable to key stakeholders and feasible to implement. It did not make a strong recommendation because the studies are too indirect and no comparisons of optimal strategies were provided.
Considerations for implementation and policy making
- The GDG noted that, as evidence coming from the EU Screening Programmes' survey suggests, some countries do not communicate negative results (positive results are followed up anyways), in these cases it needs to be made clear in the invitation letter that no follow up/letter means a negative result.
- In case of return to sender letters, new addresses need to be identified.
Research priorities
The GDG recommends conducting randomised controlled trials (cluster ideally) on the effect of this intervention.
Supporting material
8.2 Should a phone call vs. a letter be used for informing women who have a negative screening result?
Recommendation
The ECIBC's Guidelines Development Group (GDG) suggests not using a phone call for informing women who have a negative screening result.
Issued in June 2018.
Justification
The GDG made a conditional recommendation against the intervention, because of the too indirect evidence on desirable and undesirable effects, the large costs, and the judgement that the intervention was probably not acceptable to key stakeholders and not feasible to implement.
Research priorities
GDG suggested that other type of intervention may be explored i.e. SMS and encrypted digital communications.
Supporting material
8.3 Should a face to face interview vs. a letter be used for informing women who have a negative screening result?
Recommendation
The ECIBC's Guidelines Development Group (GDG) suggests not using a face to face interview for informing women who have a negative screening result.
Issued in June 2018.
Justification
The judgement was based mainly on the too indirect evidence on desirable and undesirable effects, the large costs, and the judgement that the intervention was probably not feasible to implement.
Research priorities
GDG suggested that other type of intervention may be explored i.e. SMS and encrypted digital communications.
Supporting material
8.4 What is the best timing to inform women who have a negative result?
Recommendation
Women with a negative mammography screening result should be informed about their test result as soon as possible but not beyond 30 days after the mammogram (ungraded good practice statement).
Issued in July 2021.
Supporting material
8.5 Should a letter followed by a phone call to remind vs. a letter alone be used for inviting women for further diagnostic assessment?
Recommendation
The ECIBC's Guidelines Development Group (GDG) suggests using a letter followed by a phone call over a letter alone for inviting women for further diagnostic assessment, in the context of an organised population-based screening programme.
Issued in June 2018.
Justification
The GDG made a conditional recommendation for the intervention, based on the desirable anticipated effects, the moderate costs and the judgement that the intervention was acceptable and feasible to implement.
Research priorities
GDG suggested that other type of interventions may be explored i.e. SMS and face-to-face communications.
Supporting material
8.6 What is the best timing to invite women for further assessment?
Recommendation
Women with a positive mammography screening result should be informed about their test result in a timely and sensitive manner and scheduled for further assessment as soon as possible (ungraded good practice statement).
Issued in July 2021.
Supporting material