Barriers to cervical screening participation in high-risk women

Lovell, Brian, Wetherell, Mark and Shepherd, Lee (2015) Barriers to cervical screening participation in high-risk women. Journal of Public Health, 23 (1). pp. 57-61. ISSN 2198-1833

[img]
Preview
Text (Article)
Lovell B_cervical screening participation.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (524kB) | Preview
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10389-014-0649-0

Abstract

Aim
Women aged 25–35 years, for whom cervical cancer is most problematic, are least likely to participate in the cervical screening programme. Therefore, identifying barriers to screening participation in this high-risk group is essential.

Subject and methods
A sample of 430 women completed an electronic survey of their cervical screening history and answered questions on sociodemographic, behavioural, attitudinal and informational barriers to cervical screening uptake. Logistic regression was used to predict cervical screening non attendance.

Results
Women with more than 10 sexual partners in their lifetime were more likely, but women from ethnic minorities, less likely to participate in the cervical screening programme. Women unaware of the recommended screening interval were also less likely to be screened, as were women who believed that screening is a test for cancer. Screening was also less likely among women who endorsed the belief that screening in the absence of symptoms is unnecessary.

Conclusion
These data highlight poor knowledge of the recommended screening interval and purpose of cervical cancer screening in this high-risk group. As such, interventions that target these informational barriers might be most effective for increasing cervical screening uptake in this high-risk group.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Cervical cancer, Cervical screening participation, Ethnic minority, Informational barriers
Subjects: B900 Others in Subjects allied to Medicine
C800 Psychology
Department: Faculties > Health and Life Sciences > Psychology
Depositing User: Paul Burns
Date Deposited: 07 Jan 2015 11:09
Last Modified: 01 Aug 2021 04:20
URI: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/21056

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics