Public understanding of medical screening.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the extent of public understanding of mass screening for disease and of the benefits and limitations of screening.


METHODS
Telephone interviews were conducted with a national sample of 835 Australians.


RESULTS
Of total respondents, 68% claimed to have heard of screening tests, but only 21% correctly understood that screening tests are for asymptomatic people. This understanding was related to education. The most frequently named tests were mammography (51%) and Pap tests (33%), and for all age groups these were mentioned by more women than men. Around 27% of respondents thought that the Pap test would detect 95% or more of case, 45% thought the test would detect 90% or more, while 60% of respondents thought the test would detect 80% or more of cases. Around 29% of respondents thought that mammography would detect 95% or more of cases, 49% thought the test would detect 90% or more, while 65% of respondents thought the test would detect 80% or more of cases. Of all respondents, 33% favoured compensation when cases were "missed" by screening provided people were warned beforehand, 58% were not in favour, and 9% were unsure.


CONCLUSIONS
There are misconceptions among the public concerning the purpose of screening and the accuracy of screening tests. However, most people accept that some cases of disease will be missed by screening and that if people are adequately informed beforehand compensation should not automatically follow for those whose disease is missed.
Cockburn
J
J
Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria, Carlton South, Australia.
Redman
S
S
Hill
D
D
Henry
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008318:Malpractice / Q000191:economics; D008327:Mammography; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014626:Vaginal Smears