Missed screening mammography appointments: patient sociodemographic characteristics and mammography completion after one year

Objective Patients who miss screening mammogram (SM) appointments without notifying the healthcare system (no-show) risk care delays. We investigate sociodemographic characteristics of patients who experience SM no-shows at a community health center and whether and when the missed exams are completed. Methods We included patients with SM appointments at a community health center between 1/1/2021-12/31/2021. Language, race, ethnicity, insurance type, residential ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) poverty, appointment outcome (no-show, same-day cancellation, completed), and dates of completed SMs after no-show appointments with ≥ 1-year follow-up were collected. Multivariable analyses were used to assess associations between patient characteristics and appointment outcomes. Results Of 6,159 patients, 12.1% (743/6,159) experienced no-shows. The no-show group differed from the completed group by language, race and ethnicity, insurance type, and poverty level (all P<.05). Patients with no-shows more often had: primary language other than English (32% [238/743] versus 26.7% [1,265/4,741]), race and ethnicity other than White non-Hispanic (42.3% [314/743] versus 33.6% [1,595/4,742]), Medicaid/means-tested insurance (62.0% [461/743] versus 34.4% [1,629/4,742]), and higher poverty ZCTAs (19.5% [145/743] versus 14.1% [670/4,742]). Independent predictors of no-shows were: Black/non-Hispanic race and ethnicity (aOR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.12-2.07; P=.007), Medicaid/means-tested insurance (aOR, 2.75; 95% CI, 2.29-3.30; P<.001), and higher poverty ZCTAs (aOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.14-2.72; P=.011). At one-year follow-up, 40.7% (302/743) of patients with no-shows had not completed SM. Discussion SM no-shows is a health equity issue where socioeconomically disadvantaged and racial and ethnic minority patients are more likely to experience missed appointments and continued delays in SM completion.