A study looking at women’s views about cancer screening

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Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.

Cancer type:

Bowel (colorectal) cancer

Breast cancer

Cervical cancer

Status:

Closed

Phase:

Other

This study is looking at women’s views about bowel, breast and cervical cancer screening. It is for women in Scotland who have been invited for screening and are in one of the following situations

Have taken part in all 3 screening programmes
Have taken part in breast and cervical screening, but not bowel screening
Have decided not to take part in any cancer screening

More about this trial

Cancer screening is for healthy people with no symptoms. Screening can look for early signs or changes that could develop into cancer and it can help spot cancers at an early stage. If cancer is diagnosed at an early stage it is more likely to be treated successfully.

There are 3 screening programmes in the UK

Breast screening uses a mammogram to check your breasts for signs of cancer
Cervical screening uses a smear test to look at the neck of the womb (cervix) to pick up any changes in the cells
Bowel screening is a test you do at home. You collect samples of poo on a special card and send this off to be checked for hidden traces of blood – a possible sign of bowel cancer

Surveys show that people generally support the cancer screening programmes. But not everyone goes along for screening when invited. In Scotland, we know that just over 70 out of every 100 women (70%) go for breast and cervical screening. But only about 58 out of every 100 women (58%) go for bowel screening.

The researchers would like to speak to women who did go for screening and those who did not. The aims of this study are

To find out what women think about screening
To learn more about the reasons why women decided either to take part or not

You will not benefit directly from this study. The results may help to improve the way information is given to people about cancer screening.

There is more information about cancer screening.

Who can enter

The following bullet points list the entry conditions for this study. If you are unsure about any of these speak with your doctor or the study team. They will be able to advise you.

You may be able to join this study if you live within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area of Scotland and all of the following apply

You have been invited for all 3 screening programmes - breast, bowel and cervical screening
You are aged between 50 and 60 years old

You cannot join this study if you are unable to speak, write or read English. The information about this study is written in English and your interview will be in English.

Trial design

The researchers need between 36 and 60 women to join. All women will have an interview with a researcher.

Your interview can take place at your home or somewhere else of your choice. It takes between 30 to 60 minutes. You will be asked questions about breast, bowel and cervical screening and the reasons why you decided you would or wouldn’t take part.

With your permission, the discussion will be recorded so the researcher can listen to you fully without having to take notes. After the interview, the study team will takes notes from the recording and the tape will then be destroyed.

The researcher will treat everything you tell them as confidential, so no one can link the results back to you. If you are interested, a copy of the results can be sent to you when they are published.

Hospital visits

You do not have any hospital visits as a result of taking part in this study.

Side effects

This study does not involve a treatment and so there are no side effects. You may find it difficult or upsetting to talk about cancer screening. You don’t have to answer any questions you don’t want to.