Analyzing the Benefits and Downsides of Mobile Mammography Units in Sweden

Sammanfattning

Breast Cancer is the second most common cancer in Sweden. More treatment options are available with a higher chance of survival if Breast cancer is diagnosed early. WHO has recommended performing Breast Cancer screenings on women even before they develop any symptoms. In Sweden, all women between the age of 40 and 74 years are called for a Breast Cancer Screening examination every two years. However, all of the called out women are not appearing for Breast screening therefore the purpose of this degree project is to analyze the possible benefits of setting up Mobile Mammography Units (MMUs) in Sweden. This thesis focuses on need-analysis, cost-analysis, image quality, and quality of care in MMUs compared to fixed units and if MMUs can be used as a tool for dispersal of knowledge regarding preventive care for cancer. Further, long waiting queues is one of the major concern and underperformed area in Sweden. Since the enactment of Cancer Care Pathways in Sweden, long waiting queues for patients having non-cancer diseases have been the most frequently mentioned risk in the regional status reports. This study, therefore, aims to analyze if mammography screening in hospitals is adding up to the long waiting ques for other patients or not. This study followed a qualitative setting where several semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of the National workgroup of mammography in Sweden, and an abductive inductive approach was followed for the data collection and analysis. The results of the study concluded that Mobile mammography units are only beneficial for areas with demographic issues. Mobile mammography units are resource-demanding therefore it is better to invest in fixed units for areas where there are no traveling issues. The mammography unit in a hospital is a separate department and does not affect any other patient by being in the hospital hence not resulting in the “Crowding out effect”. Regarding the Image quality and quality of care, it is similar in both the fixed and mobile units, apart from the quality of care for disabled women who must visit the fixed unit and hence are deprived of close care. A proper cost-analysis, with exact figures, for both mobile and fixed mammography units was not found during this study therefore it could not be concluded if MMUs are cost-effective or not. Also, if Mobile Mammography Units are to be used as a tool for the dispersal of knowledge regarding the prevention of cancer, there will be a need to hire extra staff who can perform this job.