Which women go for screening?

Abstract

Cancer accounts for approximately one-third of deaths in developed countries. Preventing cancer, notably by detecting new cases early, is thus crucial. In the European Union (EU), screening rates have been recommended for several types of cancer; however, most EU countries are still not meeting them. Determining how we can improve people's adherence to screening is necessary. This study aimed to explore the characteristics of women associated with being up-to-date on mammograms or Pap smears; notably, we wanted to determine the extent to which women's attitudes towards risk play a role in their adherence to screening. The sample comprised 1411 women who responded to a telephone survey. The survey data, including sociodemographic characteristics, health information, attitudes towards the future, and attitudes towards risk, collected via the Domain-Specific Risk-Taking (DOSPERT) scale, were supplemented by medico-administrative data. The factors associated with undergoing either a mammogram or a Pap smear in a timely manner were similar. Two favourable factors were found: the number of children and a high level of education. In contrast, being older or having a higher DOSPERT score for risk-taking appeared to be negatively associated with timely screening. The fact that women's attitudes towards risk seem to have a strong impact on their adherence to medical recommendations is a finding that should be considered (e.g. by health professionals or in prevention campaigns) regarding increasing women's awareness of the importance of regular cancer screening.