Cancer screening survey
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Healthwatch Hounslow wanted to understand whether people undertook cancer screening (cervical, breast and bowel) opportunities when offered them, and if they didn’t what barriers there were to being screened. They spoke to 89 people.
More than half the respondents have been invited for screening. More than half the respondents were aware about the screening programmes. People who previously went for screening are likely to go again for the next one.
Barriers included:
- Fear of finding out the outcome
- Discomfort about the procedure including religious and cultural stigma
- People prioritised their existing health issues
- Lack of confidence in the healthcare system
- Inconvenient locations
- Inconvenient times and being too busy
Suggestions for encouragement included:
- Sharing life changing stories
- Reaching out to people using a variety of means
- Flexible appointments
- Incentives to take up opportunities
- Accessible invitation letters