Cancer screening in France: subjects' and physicians' attitudes.
OBJECTIVE
Since screening for cancer has been advocated, funded, and promoted in France, it is important to evaluate the attitudes of subjects in the general population and general practitioners (GPs) toward cancer screening strategies.


METHODS
EDIFICE is a nationwide opinion poll that was carried out by telephone among a representative sample of 1,504 subjects living in France and aged between 40 and 75 years and among a representative sample of 600 GPs. The questionnaire administered to subjects queried about previous screening for cancer.


RESULTS
Ninety-three percent of women stated that they had undergone at least one mammography. Although rated "A" recommendation-strongly recommended-by the US Preventive Services Task Force, screening for colorectal cancer received less attention than prostate cancer screening which is rated "I"-insufficient evidence-(reported screening rates of 25% and 36%, respectively). Six percent of subjects stated that they had undergone lung cancer screening. GPs' attitudes toward cancer screening showed similar inconsistencies.


CONCLUSIONS
It thus appears that understanding of cancer screening practices in the French general population does not match scientific evidence. To a lesser extent, this also holds for GPs.
Eisinger
François
F
Department of Oncogenetics Screening and Prevention, Paoli-Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France. eisinger@marseille.inserm.fr
Blay
Jean-Yves
JY
Morère
Jean-François
JF
Rixe
Olivier
O
Calazel-Benque
Anne
A
Cals
Laurent
L
Coscas
Yvan
Y
Dolbeault
Sylvie
S
Namer
Moïse
M
Serin
Daniel
D
Roussel
Claire
C
Pivot
Xavier
X
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010819:Physician's Role; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires