What are the attitudes and opinions of women with a learning disability, family carers, and paid care workers, towards cervical and breast cancer screening programmes?

Kate Byrnes, Emma Giles, Grant McGeechan, Sharon Hamilton, Hannah Crawford

Research output: Contribution to conferencePosterpeer-review

Abstract

Cancer screening programmes are used to improve survival and reduce mortality of cancer, by enabling a diagnosis at an early stage. There are three National Health Service (NHS) cancer screening programmes in the UK, testing for cancers of the cervix, breast, and bowel. However, statistics published by NHS Digital for 2016 to 2017 indicate that the lowest uptake of screening is for cervical and breast cancer, especially in women with a learning disability. Uptake of women with a learning disability was 24.8% for cervical and 44% for breast cancer screening, compared to 70.3% and 56.9% in those without.
The current PhD research study involves speaking to women with a learning disability, family carers, and paid care workers about their attitudes and opinions towards cervical and breast cancer screening. The project has engaged with women with a learning disability, through patient and public involvement, to develop and shape research documentation to ensure the documentation is usable and suitable for the proposed population. For the final study, women will be recruited through a Foundation Trust, a Clinical Commissioning Group and day centres across the North East region. To obtain the attitudes and opinions of the different populations, Q methodology will be utilised; a mixed methodology used to understand individual viewpoints by sorting individual statements on cancer screening into agree, disagree, and neutral. This project will help understand the varying views of cervical and breast cancer screening which will allow for better support to be implemented for women with a learning disability.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 10 Dec 2018
EventBritish Psychosocial Oncology Society Conference 2019 - Chester
Duration: 28 Feb 20191 Mar 2019

Conference

ConferenceBritish Psychosocial Oncology Society Conference 2019
CityChester
Period28/02/191/03/19

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