The acceptability of, and informational needs related to, self-collection cervical screening among women of Indian descent living in Victoria, Australia: A qualitative study

Information needs for cancer screening and associated factors of information-seeking behaviour: a qualitative systematic review

BACKGROUND

At present, the participation rate in cancer screening is still not ideal, and the lack of screening information or misunderstanding of information is an important factor hindering cancer screening behaviour. Therefore, a systematic synthesis of information needs related to cancer screening is critical.

METHODS

On July 23, 2024, we searched the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, EBSCO, PsycINFO, Scopus, ProQuest, PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL to collect qualitative or mixed-methods studies on information needs of cancer screening. We also searched for grey literature on OpenGrey and Google websites. Data were synthesised using Sandelowski and Barroso's framework. A top-down approach was adopted to group and synthesise the encodes and then generate analytical themes.

RESULTS

A total of 37 studies were included. The results of the analysis of cancer screening-related information needs content, cancer-specific information needs content, requirements and preferences for information, and associated factors of information-seeking behaviour were reported. Based on the event timeline, we summarised the information needs of the screening demand side into four themes. Their information needs focus on disease risk factors, signs and symptoms, the importance of screening, the benefits and harms of screening, the detailed screening process, and screening results and explanations. Regarding cancer-specific information needs content, we summarised the specific information needs of cervical, breast, colorectal, and lung cancer. By referring to relevant concepts in the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking, we synthesised the requirements and preferences for information according to the themes of editorial tone, communication potential, recommended information channels, and recommended source place. The information-seeking behaviours of the screening demanders are mainly passive attention and active searching. The common factors leading to the passive attention of screening demanders are demographic factors and fear of cancer. The most common reason for them to actively search information is lack of information.

CONCLUSIONS

The list of information needs identified in this review can serve as a reference for health professionals and information service providers before carrying out screening-related work to help the cancer screening participants obtain valuable information.

What young women (aged 24-29 years) in Australia think about self-collection for cervical screening: a brief report

Background In mid-2022 Australia's National Cervical Screening Program made self-collection of a vaginal sample an option for screening for young women or people with a cervix aged 25 to 29 years for the first time. This study explored what young women thought about, and wanted to know about, self-collection, and what their future screening preferences are. Methods Young women (n =21), aged 24-29years, were recruited through social media. Semi-structured interviews explored screening history, screening preferences and thoughts about self-collection. Data were analysed using an a priori coding framework informed by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Results Young women valued the addition of self-collection to the national cervical screening program, believing it to be less invasive and more convenient. However, they also valued the choice to opt for a clinician-collected specimen if preferred. Conclusions Self-collection is a valuable addition to the National Cervical Screening Program. This study suggests that continued efforts are needed to raise awareness of its availability, and improve understanding about its accuracy, the ease of collection, that you still need to engage with a primary healthcare service to access it and that you can still opt for a clinician-collected test.