Women's misconceptions about cancer screening: implications for informed decision-making.
Informed decision-making about cancer screening requires that patients have a correct understanding of a test's purpose, benefits, and risks. Misconceptions, however, may be common. Semi-structured interviews were carried out and thematically coded using a purposive sample of 24 socioeconomically diverse white, African American, Latino and Chinese American women recruited from general medicine practices and community settings. Interviews focused on participants ideas related to cancer prevention and screening. Women expressed cancer-related beliefs characterized by inaccuracies, distortions, and over-simplifications. Many of these beliefs may go unrecognized in clinical settings yet have a profound influence on risk communication and, therefore, informed decision-making. Effective communication depends, first, on clinicians and patients sharing an accurate understanding of background concepts such as "prevention," "screening," and "cancer."
Denberg
Thomas D
TD
Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, B-180, Denver, CO 80262, USA. tom.denberg@uchsc.edu
Wong
Sabrina
S
Beattie
Angela
A
D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001213:Asian / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003657:Decision Making; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012495:San Francisco; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology