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Aasbø G, Hansen BT, Waller J, Nygård M, Solbrække KN. Unpacking the Lay Epidemiology of Cervical Cancer: A Focus Group Study on the Perceptions of Cervical Cancer and Its Prevention among Women Late for Screening in Norway. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11101441. [PMID: 37239727 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11101441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonattendance for cervical cancer screening is often understood in terms of a lack of 'appropriate' or 'correct' knowledge about the risks and prevention of the disease. Few studies have explored how lay persons-the users themselves-interpret and contextualise scientific knowledge about cervical cancer. In this study, we address the following research question: How is the epidemiology of cervical cancer and its prevention discussed among women who are late for cervical cancer screening in Norway? We completed nine focus group interviews (FGIs) with 41 women who had postponed cervical screening. The analyses were both inductive and explorative, aiming to unpack the complexity of lay understandings of cervical cancer. Interactive associations expressed in the FGIs reflected multiple understandings of aetiology and risk factors, screening, and interpretations of responsibility for acquiring cervical cancer. The term 'candidacy' was employed to provide an enhanced understanding of lay reasoning about the explanations and predictions of cervical cancer, as reflected in the FGIs. Both interpretations of biomedical concepts and cultural values were used to negotiate acceptable and nuanced interpretations of candidacy for cervical cancer. Uncertainties about risk factors for acquiring cervical cancer was an important aspect of such negotiations. The study's findings provide an in-depth understanding of the contexts in which screening may be rendered less relevant or significant for maintaining health. Lay epidemiology should not be considered inappropriate knowledge but rather as a productive component when understanding health behaviours, such as screening attendance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunvor Aasbø
- Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, 0304 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Interdisciplinary Health Science, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Bo T Hansen
- Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, 0304 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Infection Control and Vaccine, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway
| | - Jo Waller
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Mari Nygård
- Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, 0304 Oslo, Norway
| | - Kari N Solbrække
- Department of Interdisciplinary Health Science, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, Norway
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Allen CG, McBride CM, Haardörfer R, Roberts MC. Associations Between Objective Television Exposure and Cancer Perceptions in a National Sample of Adults. Cancer Control 2019; 26:1073274819846603. [PMID: 31131620 PMCID: PMC6537258 DOI: 10.1177/1073274819846603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The expanding sources of media coverage of cancer may have a powerful impact on
emotions, cancer knowledge, information seeking, and other health behaviors. We
explored whether television advertisements were associated with cancer worry,
perceived risk, and perceived ability to prevent cancer using cross-sectional
data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) linked to
television advertisement data from Kantar Media. We conducted hierarchical
linear modeling assessing 2-level models for each of the 3 outcomes of interest.
The most common content included advertisements for cancer clinics (54.4%),
public service announcements about cancer (22.0%), and advertisements about
cancer organizations (9.1%). Most variance in cancer perceptions was due to
individual-level characteristics and not exposure to television advertisements,
which aligns with previous literature suggesting a small, but significant,
association of television exposure with health beliefs. Higher levels of
exposures to cancer-specific television advertisements were associated with
higher levels of risk perceptions. Additionally, older adults’ levels of
perceived worry and risk were more likely to be associated with television
exposure than younger adults. Given the substantial investments being made in
cancer advertisements on television, the differences in exposure are important
to consider in future efforts to understand predictors of beliefs about cancer
and in the development of interventions designed to target risk-reducing
behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin G Allen
- 1 Behavioral Sciences and Health Education Department, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Colleen M McBride
- 1 Behavioral Sciences and Health Education Department, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Regine Haardörfer
- 1 Behavioral Sciences and Health Education Department, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Megan C Roberts
- 2 Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, The National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Bikker AP, Macdonald S, Robb KA, Conway E, Browne S, Campbell C, Weller D, Steele R, Macleod U. Perceived colorectal cancer candidacy and the role of candidacy in colorectal cancer screening. HEALTH RISK & SOCIETY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/13698575.2019.1680816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - David Weller
- The Usher Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Robert Steele
- Medical Research Institute, University of Dundee, UK
| | - Una Macleod
- Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK
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Gaspar M, Rosenes R, Burchell AN, Grennan T, Salit I, Grace D. Diagnosing uncertainty: The challenges of implementing medical screening programs for minority sub-populations in Canada. Soc Sci Med 2019; 244:112643. [PMID: 31698281 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The social science literature on medical screening has documented a notable disjuncture between the promises of population-based screening programs and the complex realities of their rollout in everyday practice. We contribute to this scholarship by examining how healthcare providers confront numerous uncertainties associated with the implementation of anal cancer screening programs in Canada given the absence of standardized national evidence-based guidelines. The data was derived from in-depth interviews conducted with 13 physicians and 2 clinical researchers about anal cancer screening for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men living with HIV, the minority sub-population at the highest risk for HPV-associated anal cancer. Despite having unknown utility and low specificity, an initial anal Pap test was used to triage patients into anal dysplasia clinics for high-resolution anoscopy. This process led to technological scepticism toward the Pap's accuracy, diagnostic ambiguity related to the interpretation of the cytology results and increased patient anxiety regarding abnormal results. Physicians navigated a tension between wanting to avoid exposing their patients to additional uncertainties caused by screening and pre-cancer treatment and wanting to ensure that their patients did not develop anal cancer under their care. A high number of abnormal anal Pap results paradoxically reintroduced some of the capacity issues that the Pap was meant to resolve, as the existing dysplasia clinics were incapable of seeing all patients with abnormal results. We define this sequence as the epistemic-capacity paradox, a dynamic whereby seeking evidence to improve healthcare capacity simultaneously produces evidence that introduces capacity challenges and generates additional uncertainty. The epistemic-capacity paradox demonstrates the limitations of evidence-based medicine frameworks at determining best practices in the context of rarer health conditions affecting minority sub-populations, where smaller population numbers and limited institutional support pose systemic challenges to the acquisition of sufficient evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Gaspar
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
| | - Ron Rosenes
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ann N Burchell
- Department of Family and Community Medicine and MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Troy Grennan
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Irving Salit
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Daniel Grace
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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5
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Matters of fact and politics: Generating expectations of cancer screening. Soc Sci Med 2019; 232:408-416. [PMID: 31151027 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Many countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have established national screening programs in the effort to advance the early diagnosis of cancers. Australia has population screening programs for breast, bowel and cervical cancers, and this article focuses on breast and cervical cancer screening as the two longest running programs in Australia. While these screening programs are well-established and report relatively high participation rates, the effectiveness of population screening is a contested issue, subject to significant, ongoing debate about its purported benefits (Armstrong, 2019). In this article, we draw on ideas from sociology of science on the construction of scientific facts to analyse how evidentiary claims are presented in policy documents for Australia's breast and cervical cancer screening programs, and the implications for those who are the targets of screening. We explore how screening-related information assumes the status of scientific 'facts', and argue that presenting information as neutral and objective obscures the political choices involved in its generation. Importantly, some of the claims presented in the policy documents have a tendency to emphasise the benefits, and minimise the risks and harms of population-based screening. In doing so, we suggest that the current national policies may be contributing to sustaining expectations of screening that are higher than warranted. Higher expectations may bring with them unintended societal and economic costs to the public. We conclude by noting how deeply ingrained socio-cultural meanings of cancer shape public expectations of the protective value of screening, which allows current screening approaches to become further entrenched and resistant to challenge.
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Macdonald S, Conway E, Bikker A, Browne S, Robb K, Campbell C, Steele RJ, Weller D, Macleod U. Making sense of bodily sensations: Do shared cancer narratives influence symptom appraisal? Soc Sci Med 2019; 223:31-39. [PMID: 30703697 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.12.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Though new or altered bodily sensations are a common occurrence they rarely transition to biomedically defined symptoms. When they do, sensations are subject to an appraisal process that can culminate in help-seeking. The transition has particular relevance for cancer diagnoses. Studies of 'symptom appraisal' in cancer patients typically conclude that failure to regard sensations as serious or 'symptom misattribution' results in lengthier help-seeking intervals. Though multiple influences on appraisal processes are acknowledged, including the socio-cultural context, detailed description and analyses of how socio-cultural factors shape appraisal is lacking. In this paper we explore one substantial component of the sociocultural context, namely, publicly recognised shared cancer narratives, and their impact on appraisal. We undertook a secondary analysis of 24 interviews with Scottish colorectal cancer patients originally completed in 2006-2007. Our analysis showed that fear, death and severity dominated cancer narratives and were frequently restated throughout interviews. Yet, early bodily changes were often mild and vague, were commonly experienced in the context of 'feeling well' and failed to match preconceived ideas of what cancer 'feels like'. Moreover, few perceived themselves to be 'at risk' of cancer and diagnoses were characterised as 'shocking' events. Participants engaged in self-monitoring strategies and severe or painful changes prompted help-seeking. Far from misattributing symptoms, responses to bodily changes were sensible and measured; responses are particularly apt in relation to current policy rhetoric, which urges measured use of services. Our findings have resonance across healthcare settings as patients are required to negotiate a narrow and challenging space when making decisions to seek help. There is a pressing need for a more realistic approach to symptom appraisal in order to reduce help-seeking intervals. Future awareness campaigns should emphasise the importance of vague/minor bodily changes although this will necessitate discussions with health professionals on referral thresholds to achieve earlier detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Macdonald
- Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
| | - Elaine Conway
- Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Annemieke Bikker
- Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG, UK
| | - Susan Browne
- Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Kathryn Robb
- Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Christine Campbell
- Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG, UK
| | - Robert Jc Steele
- Medical Research Institute, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, DD1 9SY, UK
| | - David Weller
- Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG, UK
| | - Una Macleod
- Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
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Kelly-Hanku A, Ase S, Fiya V, Toliman P, Aeno H, Mola GM, Kaldor JM, Vallely LM, Vallely AJ. Ambiguous bodies, uncertain diseases: knowledge of cervical cancer in Papua New Guinea. ETHNICITY & HEALTH 2018; 23:659-681. [PMID: 28158947 DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2017.1283393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Within their local realities, people experience and interpret disease in diverse ways that do not necessarily correlate or converge with Western biomedical interventions. In the high cervical cancer burden setting of Papua New Guinea, understanding how people experience and interpret cervical cancer is necessary for effective intervention. Drawing on work by Street on the production of unstable biomedical knowledge, we explored how ambiguity and uncertainty, coupled with cultural taboos and linguistic limitations, affect what and how people 'know' about women's reproductive organs and their associated disease. DESIGN A qualitative research approach was used to explore and understand how people in PNG articulate matters of health and disease as they relate to cervical cancer and HPV infection. Specifically, how unstable biomedical knowledge is produced and sustained. We employed a mixed-methods approach in collecting data from 208 (147 women) participants between 2011 and 2012 across 3 provinces in PNG. RESULTS We found that knowledge and awareness about cervical cancer were poor. Five thematic areas emerged in our analysis, which included the gendered knowledge of women's reproductive health, the burden of cervical cancer in the community and the role (or limitation) of language. We further identified four ways in which ambiguity and uncertainty operate on both sociocultural and biological levels, and in the intersection between to produce unstable biomedical knowledge. These included poor knowledge of where the cervix is located and the uncertainty or unreliability of (lay) diagnoses of disease. CONCLUSION Local understandings of cervical cancer reflected the limitations of Tok Pisin as a lingua franca as well as the wider uncertain biomedical environment where diagnoses are assembled and shared. There is a clear need to improve understanding of the female reproductive organs in order that people, women in particular, can be better informed about cervical cancer and ultimately better receptive to intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Kelly-Hanku
- a Sexual and Reproductive Health , Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research , Goroka , Papua New Guinea
- b Kirby , UNSW , Sydney , Australia
| | - S Ase
- a Sexual and Reproductive Health , Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research , Goroka , Papua New Guinea
| | - V Fiya
- a Sexual and Reproductive Health , Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research , Goroka , Papua New Guinea
| | - P Toliman
- a Sexual and Reproductive Health , Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research , Goroka , Papua New Guinea
| | - H Aeno
- a Sexual and Reproductive Health , Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research , Goroka , Papua New Guinea
| | - G M Mola
- c School of Medical Sciences , University of Papua New Guinea , Goroka , Papua New Guinea
| | | | | | - A J Vallely
- a Sexual and Reproductive Health , Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research , Goroka , Papua New Guinea
- b Kirby , UNSW , Sydney , Australia
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9
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Kerr A, Ross E, Jacques G, Cunningham‐Burley S. The sociology of cancer: a decade of research. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2018; 40:552-576. [PMID: 29446117 PMCID: PMC5901049 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.12662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Biomedicine is often presented as the driving force behind improvements in cancer care, with genomics the latest innovation poised to change the meaning, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and lived experience of cancer. Reviewing sociological analyses of a diversity of patient and practitioner experiences and accounts of cancer during the last decade (2007-17), we explore the experiences of, approaches to and understandings of cancer in this period. We identify three key areas of focus: (i) cancer patient experiences and identities; (ii) cancer risk and responsibilities and (iii) bioclinical collectives. We explore these sociological studies of societal and biomedical developments and how sociologists have sought to influence developments in cancer identities, care and research. We end by suggesting that we extend our understanding of innovations in the fields of cancer research to take better account of these wider social and cultural innovations, together with patients, activists' and sociologists' contributions therein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Kerr
- School of Sociology and Social PolicyUniversity of LeedsUK
| | - Emily Ross
- The Usher InstituteEdinburgh Medical SchoolUniversity of EdinburghUK
| | - Gwen Jacques
- School of Sociology and Social PolicyUniversity of LeedsUK
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Young B, Bedford L, Kendrick D, Vedhara K, Robertson JFR, das Nair R. Factors influencing the decision to attend screening for cancer in the UK: a meta-ethnography of qualitative research. J Public Health (Oxf) 2017; 40:315-339. [DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdx026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- B Young
- Division of Primary Care, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - L Bedford
- Division of Primary Care, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - D Kendrick
- Division of Primary Care, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - K Vedhara
- Division of Primary Care, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - J F R Robertson
- Division of Medical Sciences and Graduate Entry Medicine, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK
| | - R das Nair
- Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Mc Grath M, Clancy K, Kenny A. An exploration of strategies used by older people to obtain information about health- and social care services in the community. Health Expect 2015; 19:1150-9. [PMID: 26345587 PMCID: PMC5054921 DOI: 10.1111/hex.12408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To explore the strategies used by older people living in Ireland to obtain information about community health and social services. METHODS A qualitative exploratory design was used. Focus groups (n = 3) were conducted with community dwelling older people (n = 17). A series of vignettes were used to guide discussion regarding hypothetical situations that approximated real-life scenarios for older people. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. RESULTS Obtaining information about community health and social services is an ongoing process that requires continuous commitment by older adults. Key strategies which emerged from the data included (i) taking a proactive stance towards accessing health information, (ii) making use of personal networks in your community and (iii) developing 'insider' knowledge. CONCLUSION Older people in this study had a proactive approach to obtaining health information and identified the importance of taking responsibility for managing their own needs. Despite this, obtaining basic information about community health and social services was a challenging and time-consuming process. Future research should focus on developing health literacy interventions that build upon and expand the strategies currently used by older people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Mc Grath
- School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin (Singapore), Singapore.
| | - Kathleen Clancy
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Kenny
- Senior Support Services, COPE Galway, Galway, Ireland
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Balmer C, Griffiths F, Dunn J. A qualitative systematic review exploring lay understanding of cancer by adults without a cancer diagnosis. J Adv Nurs 2013; 70:1688-701. [DOI: 10.1111/jan.12342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claire Balmer
- Warwick Clinical Trials Unit; University of Warwick Medical School; Coventry UK
| | | | - Janet Dunn
- Health Sciences; University of Warwick Medical School; Coventry UK
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Sadler L, Albrow R, Shelton R, Kitchener H, Brabin L. Development of a pre-notification leaflet to encourage uptake of cervical screening at first invitation: a qualitative study. HEALTH EDUCATION RESEARCH 2013; 28:793-802. [PMID: 23111151 DOI: 10.1093/her/cys103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Cervical screening attendance among women aged 25-29 years in England is lower than at older ages. There is some evidence that pre-notification leaflets motivate women who have not yet considered their response to a health intervention. We aimed to identify key information to motivate young women at their first cervical screening invitation. Six focus groups were conducted, five with young women aged 17-25 registered with a General Practice in Manchester, UK, and one with Practice nurses. Some women took part in two further groups to discuss leaflet design. There was low awareness of the purpose or procedures of cervical screening, and most women were de-motivated by reports of bad experiences. Some intended to be screened, but not immediately after invitation. Screening was viewed as a test for a cancer that affected older women. Since none of the participants believed that they had cervical cancer, screening seemed unnecessary. We conclude that the perception that screening is unimportant when you are young needs to be challenged. Women also need to be better informed of screening procedures. A pre-notification leaflet incorporating key information was designed and will be tested in a randomized trial of complex interventions within the routine cervical screening programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sadler
- Academic Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Cancer and Enabling Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9WL, UK and Robert Darbishire General Practice, Rusholme, Manchester M14 5NP, UK
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Burton-Jeangros C, Cavalli S, Gouilhers S, Hammer R. Between tolerable uncertainty and unacceptable risks: how health professionals and pregnant women think about the probabilities generated by prenatal screening. HEALTH RISK & SOCIETY 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/13698575.2013.771737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Armstrong N, Eborall H. The sociology of medical screening: past, present and future. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2012; 34:161-176. [PMID: 22369578 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9566.2011.01441.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Medical screening raises fundamental issues for sociological inquiry, but at present a well-developed sociology of medical screening is lacking. This special issue on the sociology of screening brings together an exciting collection of new work that tackles medical screening from a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches. In this opening paper, we begin by explaining what we mean by screening, and why we believe screening merits sociological attention. Secondly, we reflect on the sociology of screening to date and provide an introduction for those new to this area. We then provide an overview of the papers in this collection, highlighting links and contrasts between papers. We conclude by reflecting on sociology's potential contribution to wider debates about screening, and propose future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Armstrong
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
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Shaw SJ, Armin J, Torres CH, Orzech KM, Vivian J. Chronic disease self-management and health literacy in four ethnic groups. JOURNAL OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2012; 17 Suppl 3:67-81. [PMID: 23030562 PMCID: PMC3615891 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2012.712623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Research from several fields has explored health literacy as a multidimensional construct. The authors' multimethod study, "The Impact of Cultural Differences on Health Literacy and Chronic Disease Outcomes," assessed health literacy and chronic disease self-management among 296 patients from four ethnic groups (Vietnamese, African American, White, Latino) at a Massachusetts community health center between 2006 and 2010. Health literacy was assessed using the short form of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA), the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM), and the Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Spanish-speaking Adults (SAHLSA) measures. Qualitative research methods, including in-depth interviews (n = 34), home visits (n = 12), chronic disease diaries (n = 15), and focus groups (n = 47), were completed with a subset of participants. Qualitative interviews indicated a wide range of interpretations of S-TOFHLA questions in which participants substituted their own illness or health care experiences for the abstract examples offered in the instrument, at times leading to incorrect responses. Situating these responses in a broader social and cultural context, this article describes examples of the wide range of chronic disease self-management abilities among participants with limited education and/or low health literacy. It also discusses the culturally variable health beliefs identified among participants interviewed that may play important roles in their chronic disease self-management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan J Shaw
- School of Anthropology, PO Box 210030, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0030, USA.
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Teixeira LA, Löwy I. Im perfect tools for a difficult job: colposcopy, 'colpocytology' and screening for cervical cancer in Brazil. SOCIAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE 2011; 41:585-608. [PMID: 21998969 DOI: 10.1177/0306312711408380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The quasi-totality of social scientists who studied screening for cervical tumours identified such screening with a single method: the Pap smear (exfoliative cytology). This article explains that this method was not valid everywhere. The history of screening for cervical cancer in Brazil displays an alternative method for detecting cervical malignancies: a direct observation of the cervix with a specific instrument--the colposcope. The development of this method in Brazil in the 1940s and 1950s reflected a complex mixture of professional interests, government policies, and regional, local and charitable initiatives. While the use of colposcopy for cervical tumour screening was phased out in the 1970s and 1980s, the long lifespan and widespread diffusion of this method illuminates the irreducible contingency of specific developments in science, technology and medicine. Seen from the vantage point of Brazil, the Western model for preventing cervical malignancies no longer appears self-evident Alternative choices might have led to the development of different material and visual cultures of medicine, stimulated different patterns of medical specialization and division of medical labour, produced different links between malignancies, women, gynaecologists, epidemiologists and public health experts, and shaped different health policies.
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Blomberg K, Tishelman C, Ternestedt BM, Törnberg S, Levál A, Widmark C. How can young women be encouraged to attend cervical cancer screening? Suggestions from face-to-face and internet focus group discussions with 30-year-old women in Stockholm, Sweden. Acta Oncol 2011; 50:112-20. [PMID: 21091087 DOI: 10.3109/0284186x.2010.528790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND cervical cancer screening (CCS) using Pap-smears has been carried out for decades and is still an essential tool for secondary cancer prevention. Focus has traditionally been on what hinders women's attendance, instead of researching this issue from a positive standpoint, i.e. what factors encourage women to take a Pap-smear? In this article, we therefore explore issues that 30-year-old women have addressed as encouraging CCS attendance, with particular focus on aspects susceptible to intervention. MATERIAL AND METHODS through the population-based cervical cancer screening (PCCSP) registry in Stockholm, Sweden, a stratified random sampling technique was used to recruit women from the same birth cohort with varied CCS histories and results. Nine face-to-face focus groups discussions (FGDs) and 30 internet-based FGDs were conducted with a total of 138 women aged 30. Qualitative analysis was inspired by interpretative description, to generate clinically relevant and useful data. RESULTS in general, these women expressed positive views about the PCCSP as an existing service, regardless of screening history. They described a wide range of factors encompassing the entire screening trajectory from invitation through follow-up which could motivate young women to CCS participation, including social marketing. Many of the suggestions related to individualization of the PCCSP, as well as a need to understand the relationship between human papilloma virus (HPV) and cervical cancer. DISCUSSION [corrected these results are discussed in terms of the inherent tension between population-based public health initiatives and individually-oriented health care provision. Many suggestions given are already incorporated into the existing Stockholm-Gotland screening program, although this information may not reach women who need it. New research should test whether systematic information on HPV may provide a missing link in motivating young women to attend CCS, and which of their suggestions can serve to increase CCS participation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Blomberg
- Department NVS, Division of Nursing, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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20
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Jordens CFC, Morrell B, Harnett P, Hobbs K, Mason C, Kerridge IH. Cancergazing? CA125 and post-treatment surveillance in advanced ovarian cancer. Soc Sci Med 2010; 71:1548-56. [PMID: 20832155 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2009] [Revised: 04/14/2010] [Accepted: 07/14/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Post-treatment surveillance of advanced ovarian cancer involves regular testing of asymptomatic patients using the CA125 test. This practice is based on a rationale that is not supported by evidence from clinical trials. This paper aims to stimulate critical reflection concerning the effect of investigative tests on clinical decisions and interactions, and the experience of illness, particularly in the context of advanced malignant disease. Drawing on the idea of the "medical gaze", and building on previous health communication research, we present an analysis of in-depth interviews and psychometric tests collected in a prospective study of 20 Australian women with advanced ovarian cancer conducted between 2006 and 2009. We describe the demands placed on patients by the use of the CA125 test, some hazards it creates for decision-making, and some of the test's subjective benefits. It is widely believed that the CA125 test generates anxiety among patients, and the proposed solution is to educate women more about the test. We found no evidence that anxiety was a problem requiring a response over and above existing services. We conclude that the current debate is simplistic and limited. Focussing on patient anxiety does not account for other important effects of post-treatment surveillance, and educating patients about the test is unlikely to mitigate anxiety because testing is part of a wider process by which patients become aware of a disease that--once it has relapsed--will certainly kill them in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher F C Jordens
- Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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21
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Mazor KM, Calvi J, Cowan R, Costanza ME, Han PKJ, Greene SM, Saccoccio L, Cove E, Roblin D, Williams A. Media messages about cancer: what do people understand? JOURNAL OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2010; 15 Suppl 2:126-45. [PMID: 20845199 PMCID: PMC2947749 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2010.499983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Health messages on television and other mass media have the potential to significantly influence the public's health-related knowledge and behaviors, but little is known about people's ability to comprehend such messages. To investigate whether people understood the spoken information in media messages about cancer prevention and screening, we recruited 44 adults from 3 sites to view 6 messages aired on television and the internet. Participants were asked to paraphrase main points and selected phrases. Qualitative analysis methods were used to identify what content was correctly and accurately recalled and paraphrased, and to describe misunderstandings and misconceptions. While most participants accurately recalled and paraphrased the gist of the messages used here, overgeneralization (e.g., believing preventative behaviors to be more protective than stated), loss of details (e.g., misremembering the recommended age for screening), and confusion or misunderstandings around specific concepts (e.g., interpreting "early stage" as the stage in one's life rather than cancer stage) were common. Variability in the public's ability to understand spoken media messages may limit the effectiveness of both pubic health campaigns and provider-patient communication. Additional research is needed to identify message characteristics that enhance understandability and improve comprehension of spoken media messages about cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Mazor
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, and Meyers Primary Care Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
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22
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Shahid S, Finn L, Bessarab D, Thompson SC. Understanding, beliefs and perspectives of Aboriginal people in Western Australia about cancer and its impact on access to cancer services. BMC Health Serv Res 2009; 9:132. [PMID: 19643031 PMCID: PMC2731745 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-9-132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2009] [Accepted: 07/31/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite a lower overall incidence, Aboriginal Australians experience poorer outcomes from cancer compared with the non-Aboriginal population as manifested by higher mortality and lower 5-year survival rates. Lower participation in screening, later diagnosis of cancer, poor continuity of care, and poorer compliance with treatment are known factors contributing to this poor outcome. Nevertheless, many deficits remain in understanding the underlying reasons, with the recommendation of further exploration of Aboriginal beliefs and perceptions of cancer to help understand their care-seeking behavior. This could assist with planning and delivery of more effective interventions and better services for the Aboriginal population. This research explored Western Australian (WA) Aboriginal peoples' perceptions, beliefs and understanding of cancer. METHODS A total of 37 Aboriginal people from various geographical areas within WA with a direct or indirect experience of cancer were interviewed between March 2006 and September 2007. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded independently by two researchers. NVivo7 software was used to assist data management and analysis. A social constructionist framework provided a theoretical basis for analysis. Interpretation occurred within the research team with member checking and the involvement of an Aboriginal Reference Group assisting with ensuring validity and reliability. RESULTS Outcomes indicated that misunderstanding, fear of death, fatalism, shame, preference for traditional healing, beliefs such as cancer is contagious and other spiritual issues affected their decisions around accessing services. These findings provide important information for health providers who are involved in cancer-related service delivery. CONCLUSION These underlying beliefs must be specifically addressed to develop appropriate educational, screening and treatment approaches including models of care and support that facilitate better engagement of Indigenous people. Models of care and support that are more culturally-friendly, where health professionals take account of both Indigenous and Western beliefs about health and the relationship between these, and which engage and include Indigenous people need to be developed. Cultural security, removing system barriers and technical/scientific excellence are all important to ensure Indigenous people utilise healthcare to realise the benefits of modern cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaouli Shahid
- Centre for International Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth WA 6845, Australia
| | - Lizzie Finn
- Centre for International Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth WA 6845, Australia
| | - Dawn Bessarab
- Centre for International Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth WA 6845, Australia
| | - Sandra C Thompson
- Centre for International Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth WA 6845, Australia
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