Improving the quality of communication in organised cervical cancer screening programmes.
OBJECTIVE
To provide health professionals involved in cervical cancer screening with an insight into the complex issues relating to communication about screening and to provide a framework for a more effective communication strategy.


METHODS
This paper has been compiled by a multidisciplinary pan-European group of health professionals and cancer advocates from several European screening programmes. European surveys on screening communication, literature reviews and group discussion were used for this purpose.


RESULTS
Information on cervical screening must be accessible, relevant, comprehensible, comprehensive, client-centred, phase-specific and multilevel. An effective communication strategy should consider health professionals' screening knowledge and their communication skills, consumers' health literacy skills and the communication needs of specific sub-groups in the target population. Co-operation between screening professionals, advocacy groups and journalists should be promoted.


CONCLUSIONS
To communicate effectively and appropriately is a complex task which can be influenced by a number of factors. Screening workers need better information themselves and must take into account the needs and characteristics of the target population.


CONCLUSIONS
This document should provide a useful tool to help screening professionals in designing and developing good quality and effective communication strategies.
CPO Piemonte, Torino, Italy. livia.giordano@cpo.it
Livia
L
Giordano
Premila
P
Webster
Charles
C
Anthony
Anne
A
Szarewski
Philip
P
Davies
Marc
M
Arbyn
Nereo
N
Segnan
Joan
J
Austoker
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D004522:Educational Status; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D020407:Internet; D008402:Mass Media; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000458:organization & administration*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology