Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the perspectives of international experts and Danish citizens on relevant knowledge about population-based breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screening.
Methods: This was a qualitative interview study with focus group interviews with experts and Danish citizens eligible for breast, colorectal and/or cervical cancer screening. Data were collected using semi-structured interview guides, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim.
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening can reduce both CRC incidence and mortality, and faecal immunochemical testing (FIT)-based screening programmes are therefore now being implemented in many countries. However, social inequality in FIT-based screening participation is well documented, and initiatives to address this challenge are understudied. We explored the perceptions of CRC screening and the perceived barriers and facilitators towards FIT-based CRC screening among men visiting a drop-in centre for people with severe social problems in Denmark.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Ethnic minority women are less likely to participate in cervical cancer uteri (CCU) screening compared to native women. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling kits for CCU screening may be a potential strategy to increase participation. This study aimed to explore views and attitudes on four different types of self-sampling kits (two brushes, a first-void urine device, and a menstrual blood device) among non-Western ethnic minority women living in Denmark.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cancer is a major global health concern. Unfortunately, Indigenous populations such as Greenlanders living in Denmark, face significant disparities in cancer risk, incidence, diagnosis, care quality, and outcomes. In Denmark, vulnerable Greenlanders face challenges accessing cancer screening.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This study aimed to investigate the status of cervical cancer screening (CCS) implementation in Europe by investigating national or regional policies towards broadening coverage of CCS amongst vulnerable subgroups of the population at high risk for CC.
Methods: A web-based survey was conducted between September 2021 and February 2022 with CCS programme managers and experts to identify and rank six population subgroups at high risk considered most vulnerable to CC and to map existing policies that addressed the coverage of CCS towards population sub-groups at risk.
Results: A total of 31 responses were received from experts covering 22 European countries.
Objectives: To explore barriers to cervical and colorectal cancer screening and attitudes to promotion of self-sampling kits upon attendance for breast cancer screening.
Methods: Interview study with women who had not responded to one or more invitations to cervical or colorectal cancer screening. A semi-structured interview guide was used and interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim.
Introduction: In Denmark, women with a future childbearing desire diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 (CIN2) are recommended active surveillance instead of excisional treatment. However, we have limited and contradictory knowledge about how active surveillance of CIN2 may affect women emotionally. The aim of this study was to explore thoughts and emotional responses in women undergoing active surveillance of CIN2 and to explore how active surveillance may affect women's future childbearing desire.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To provide a systematic review of self-administered decision aids (DAs) for citizens invited to participate in colorectal cancer screening synthesizing the effectiveness of self-administered DAs on informed choice or the components hereof; knowledge, attitudes, and participation.
Methods: The literature search was undertaken in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase and Scopus and last updated 19 March 2021. Results were presented by narrative synthesis, meta-analyses and vote counting based on direction of effect.
Background: Ethnic minority women from non-Western countries are less likely than the native women to participate in screening programmes for cervical cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer. This social inequality can result in loss of possibility for prevention, delayed diagnosis and treatment and, ultimately, lower chance of survival. Developing a tailored intervention might be the solution to reduce social inequalities in cancer screening, and a key feature in intervention research is to consult the target group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: To explore attitudes, motivations and intentions about attending for mammography among women who cancelled or postponed breast cancer screening, which had remained open in Denmark during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: A telephone interview study was conducted at the end of April 2020. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was chosen to identify themes and concepts and a semi-structured interview guide was developed.
Background: The decision to take up colorectal cancer screening has to be made on informed grounds balancing benefits and harms. Self-administered decision aids can support citizens in making an informed choice. A self-administered web-based decision aid targeting citizens with lower educational attainment has been evaluated within the target population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The incidence of cervical cancer peaks around the age of 75 years, and elderly patients are more frequently diagnosed with advanced-stage cervical cancer than younger patients. There is considerable practice variation regarding follow-up of elderly patients with abnormal cervical test results at risk of cervical cancer, both nationally and internationally, due to uncertainty about risks and benefits for this particular patient group. The treatment preferences of these patients are, however, poorly described in the current literature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere are multiple reasons for not participating in colorectal cancer screening, but the role of health literacy in screening uptake is not well understood. The aims of this study were to determine the association between health literacy and colorectal cancer screening uptake and to explore whether socioeconomic and -demographic characteristics and worry and attitude variables modify this association. In a cross-sectional study, 10,030 53-74-year-old randomly selected citizens resident in Central Denmark Region received a questionnaire assessing health literacy using the European Health Literacy Survey Short Scale 16-item.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Screening programmes for cervical cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer have been implemented in many Western countries to reduce cancer incidence and mortality. Ethnic minority women are less likely to participate in cancer screening than the majority population. In worst case this can result in higher incidence rates, later diagnosis and treatment and ultimately inferior survival.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common cancer among men in the western world. Genetic lifetime risk assessment could alleviate controversies about prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for early diagnosis.
Aim: To determine how men interpret information about their lifetime risk for PC and how this can affect their choice of having a repeated PSA test.
Background: Assessing genetic lifetime risk for prostate cancer has been proposed as a means of risk stratification to identify those for whom prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing is likely to be most valuable. This project aimed to test the effect of introducing a genetic test for lifetime risk of prostate cancer in general practice on future PSA testing.
Methods And Findings: We performed a cluster randomized controlled trial with randomization at the level of general practices (73 in each of two arms) in the Central Region (Region Midtjylland) of Denmark.
Objectives: This trial tested the effectiveness of a self-administered web-based decision aid, targeted at citizens with lower educational attainment, on informed choice about colorectal cancer screening participation as assessed by group levels of knowledge, attitudes and uptake.
Methods: The randomised controlled trial was conducted among 2702 screening-naïve Danish citizens, 53-74 years old, with lower educational attainment. Baseline questionnaire respondents (62%) were allocated to intervention and control groups.
Background: Colorectal cancer screening uptake is associated with knowledge, attitudes and worries about screening. People with higher levels of health literacy usually have higher screening-related knowledge, but its association with attitudes and worries is sparsely described.The aim of this study was to describe knowledge, attitudes, and worries about colorectal cancer screening among unscreened citizens, and to estimate the association between these and health literacy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To explore perceptions of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening among participants who have experienced a 'false alarm' for CRC, and to explore perceptions about the relevance of screening for themselves or others.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews with screening participants who had participated in the Danish CRC screening program and experienced a 'false alarm' for colorectal cancer. A thematic analysis was performed, based on an interpretive tradition of ethnography.
Background: Citizens with lower educational attainments (EA) take up colorectal cancer screening to a lesser degree, and more seldom read and understand conventional screening information than citizens with average EAs. The information needs of citizens with lower EA are diverse, however, with preferences ranging from wanting clear recommendations to seeking detailed information about screening. Decision aids have been developed to support citizens with lower EA in making informed decisions about colorectal cancer screening participation, but none embrace diverse information needs.
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