Attitudes of women with a learning disability and their carers, towards the NHS cervical and breast cancer screening programmes: A qualitative systematic review and meta-aggregation

Background: An effective way to identify cancers and reduce mortality is through screening. However, in the UK people with a learning disability are less likely than the general population, to attend cervical and breast cancer screening.
Aim: To undertake a qualitative systematic review to explore the attitudes of people with a learning disability, family carers, and paid care workers towards the UK cervical and breast cancer national screening programmes.
Methods: Five electronic databases were searched to identify qualitative papers published from 1988 onwards. Studies which met the inclusion criteria were retained. Additional searches for grey literature, and of citation and reference lists were conducted of included articles. Two reviewers independently appraised the papers using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research. The JBI methodology for meta-aggregation was used to synthesis the findings.
Results: Six studies were included with 37 findings being extracted. These were clustered together, based on similarity of meanings, into eight categories then into three synthesised findings: 1) Supporting women with a learning disability to attend screening, 2) Psychophysical factors of women with a learning disability towards screening and 3) Professional practice barriers and poor understanding of the needs of women with a learning disability.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that family carers, paid care workers and Health Care Professionals, have an influential role in supporting or inhibiting the uptake of cervical and breast cancer screening. But also women with a learning disability experience a range of factors which can inhibit their uptake.