This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

There's a lot of conflicting information these days about the merits of mammograms.

But never mind the mixed messages, say Utah health officials who are urging women to "just go" and get screened.

Utah has the second lowest breast cancer screening rate in the U.S. — a statistic that the Utah Department of Health is angling to change with its new "Just Go" ad campaign.

TV, radio, print and online ads feature Utah women, including breast cancer survivors, who despite busy schedules manage to find time to invest in their health. "What plans are worth rearranging if it means saving a best friend, a sister, a neighbor, a mother, a daughter?" the ads ask.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for Utah women, according to the American Cancer Society. And mammography is the only test shown to reduce mortality, said state epidemiologist Robert Rolfs. "When detected at an early, localized stage, breast cancer is 99 percent curable."

Rolfs recommends regular mammograms for women over 40 regardless of their family medical history.

But in controversial recommendations late last year, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force told women to wait until age 50 for their first screening, saying the drawbacks of mammograms include unnecessary biopsies. The shift in guidelines came under swift attack by cancer and women's groups.

Either because of the new guidelines or struggling economy, Utah hospitals reported a significant decline in the tests from January 2009 to January 2010.

National health reform is expected to improve access to preventive care such as immunizations and cancer screenings. Under the law, Medicare and new insurance policies must cover 100 percent of these services without a co-payment.

In addition, the Utah Cancer Control Program offers free and discount breast and cervical cancer screenings to women between the ages of 50 and 64 who meet income guidelines. Eligible women can receive pap tests, clinical breast exams, instruction on self-breast exam and a free mammogram voucher.

For more information, call 1-800-717-1811 or visit http://www.cancerutah.org.