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BACKGROUND: Despite uncertain benefit, many women over age 80 (oldest-old) receive screening mammography.

OBJECTIVE: To explore decision-making and physician counseling of oldest-old women around mammography screening.

DESIGN: Qualitative research using in-depth semi-structured interviews.

PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three women aged 80 or older who received care at a large academic primary care practice (13 had undergone mammography screening in the past 2 years) and 16 physicians at the same center.

APPROACH: We asked patients and physicians to describe factors influencing mammography screening decisions of oldest-old women. We asked physicians to describe their counseling about screening to the oldest-old.

RESULTS: Patients and/or physicians identified the importance of physician influence, patient preferences, system …