Access to Breast Health | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

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Ï㽶ֱ²¥ students walking through Lubbock campus courtyard.

Access to Breast Health

Access to Breast Health

Ensuring Access to Breast Health for Texans

Improving Prevention And Early Detection

The Access to Breast Health for Texans project, in partnership with the Bexaâ„¢ Equity Alliance, aims to revolutionize breast cancer detection and education in rural communities around Abilene, Texas.

Portrait photo of Connie Tyne

We have found there is a huge detection gap with only about 40% of women who are fully insured actually getting a mammogram every year. As we move into rural areas, the numbers drop to about only 20%. Bexaâ„¢ is a safe and effective method for early detection that removes barriers and adds convenience.

Connie Tyne

Executive Director Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health

Proactively Closing The Gap In Breast Cancer Resources

In November 2024, the innovative Bexaâ„¢ Breast Exams program officially went live,  offering critical access to breast cancer early detection for rural women who aren’t getting mammograms – that means most rural women. At five initial screening sites, 200 women were examined, demonstrating the program’s ability to reach diverse communities. Since November 2024, 452 women have received an exam and 14 of 24 counties have been visited or scheduled for future Bexaâ„¢ exams.

The age range of participants showed a significant focus on women 50 and older (45.48%), with additional representation from younger women. Among the first 430 women, 34.6% were younger than 40, including 14.4% who were between 35 and 39. Notably, more than 60% of the rural women had never had a mammogram before, highlighting the importance of these accessible and highly-adopted screenings.

The response was overwhelmingly positive, with 99.77% of participants indicating interest in future Bexaâ„¢ exams. With more screenings scheduled in the coming months and full booking at current sites,  the program is making unprecedented progress towards engaging women who were previously unengaged – the primary problem with early detection in rural settings.

TRANSFORMATIVE TECHNOLOGY

Bexaâ„¢ is an early detection process that uses two FDA-cleared technologies to produce a painless exam performed by highly trained, registered breast sonographers and is designed to detect and evaluate masses in breasts. The Bexaâ„¢ and ultrasound technologies are small and portable and do not use radiation or compression, making it the process highly adopted, easily transportable and accessible. The Bexaâ„¢ technology is unaffected by dense breast tissue or implants, safe during pregnancy and effective in younger or breast-feeding women. The entire process for a Bexaâ„¢ Breast Exam takes about 15 to 30 minutes.

POWERFUL COMMUNITY COLLABORATION

The Ï㽶ֱ²¥ team is forging partnerships with local hospitals and health care providers to organize breast exam events in 24 counties near Abilene. Community engagement with local leaders, and community-based sites like churches, schools and clinics are essential in driving adoption among women who cannot or will not have mammograms.

PATIENT IMPACT IN RURAL TEXAS

  • Improves breast cancer outcomes through highly-adopted early detection
  • Expands access to essential cancer prevention programs in rural communities
  • Offers easy-to-understand, accessible resources to empower healthier lives
  • Ensures seamless, patient-centered care throughout every stage of the journey

Project Leads

Connie Tyne
Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health Executive Director

Pearl Merritt, Ed.D., MSN
Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health Senior Director of Community Outreach