Patient-Reported Barriers to Mammography Screening Among Women at a Community Health Clinic in Southeastern Michigan: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: The objective of this cross-sectional pilot study was to explore patient-reported barriers to mammography screening and women's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding mammography among women receiving care at a university-affiliated community health clinic in Southeastern Michigan (SEM). METHODS: A 47-item investigator-developed exploratory questionnaire informed by the Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs was distributed via Qualtrics from August to December 2025 to women receiving care at a local community health clinic. The questionnaire assessed the participants' awareness, perceptions, attitudes, and comfort regarding mammogram screening. Descriptive statistics were calculated for completed questionnaires, and patient-reported barriers were categorized using prespecified response categories. RESULTS: Twenty-one adult women aged 18 and older completed the questionnaire. Findings demonstrated that most participants were unaware of affordable or free mammogram services (81%, n = 17), while 28.6% (n = 6) reported language as a barrier in healthcare. The perception of mammography costs also varied across insurance groups. CONCLUSION: This community-focused pilot study provides preliminary insights into the perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, experiences, and potential barriers related to mammography screenings among women receiving care at a community health clinic in SEM. Although these preliminary findings should be interpreted with caution due to their exploratory study design and small convenience sample, they may inform future community-oriented research examining barriers to mammography screening and the development of region-specific educational and outreach strategies.