'I do not need to... I do not want to... I do not give it priority...'--why women choose not to attend cervical cancer screening.
OBJECTIVE
To describe and interpret why women with no cervical smear taken during the previous 5 years choose not to attend a cervical cancer screening (CCS) programme.


BACKGROUND
CCS programme is a service for early detection of cervical cancer. Today, some women choose not to attend the programme.


METHODS
Data were collected by tape-recorded interviews and analysed by qualitative inductive content analysis.


METHODS
Purposive sample of 14 women in southeast Sweden, who had chosen not to attend CCS during the previous 5 years.


RESULTS
The following themes were revealed: I do not need to..., I do not want to... and I do not give it priority.... The women had a positive attitude to CCS but as long as they felt healthy, they chose not to attend. A negative body image, low self-esteem, feelings of discomfort when confronted with the gynaecological examination and fear of the results also influenced their non-attendance. The women prioritized more important things in life and reported various degrees of lack of trust in health-care.


CONCLUSIONS
Women's choice not to attend CCS were complex and influenced by present and earlier intra- and inter-personal circumstances. They had a positive attitude to CCS, but other things in life were more important. Health-care professionals have to facilitate a co-operative discussion with the women in order to contribute to a mutual understanding for the perspectives of the women and the professionals.
Oscarsson
Marie G
MG
School of Human Sciences, Kalmar University, Kalmar, Sweden. marie.oscarsson@hik.se
Wijma
Barbro E
BE
Benzein
Eva G
EG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D013548:Sweden; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000523:psychology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000523:psychology*