Psychological barriers and facilitators of colorectal cancer screening: a French qualitative study

Abstract

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the psychological barriers to and facilitators of undergoing the Hemoccult-II® colorectal cancer screening test in France. Sixty-nine French people aged 50 to 74 years were divided into seven qualitative focus groups. Three issues were discussed with participants: knowledge and beliefs about colorectal cancer screening; facilitators of colorectal cancer screening by Hemoccult-II®; barriers to colorectal cancer screening by Hemoccult-II®. All the discussions were led by two psychologists and were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative data analysis software. Correspondence factor analyses identified three dimensions for each topic. The main psychological facilitators of colorectal cancer screening were: information about colorectal cancer screening, perceived simplicity of using Hemoccult-II®, and perception of risk. Uncertainty about the reliability of Hemoccult-II®, health anxiety, and embarrassment emerged as the main barriers to colorectal cancer screening. Cross-sectional analyses identified the differences between the views expressed by women and men. Women appeared more embarrassed about Hemoccult-II® and men seemed to be more worried about colorectal cancer. This preliminary study suggests that psychological factors play an important role in colorectal cancer screening by Hemoccult-II®. This finding may help health organizations to conceive better awareness campaigns to promote colorectal cancer screening in order to reduce the related mortality rate by taking into account psychological determinants.

Factors related to longitudinal adherence in colorectal cancer screening: qualitative research findings

“…Another study has shown that non-adherence is not caused by a difficulty related to performing the test, as the participants generally considered the test to be relatively simple to perform with no particular problems, at least compared with other similar types of medical procedures. This finding confirms the results of several authors who reported that this type of test is convenient and relatively simple to use (Bridou et al, 2013). Although most countries in Europe currently use the immunological test, the reasons for longitudinal adherence to colorectal cancer screening are common for both immunological and guaiac tests.…”

“…However, most studies highlight the lack of information and media interest in CRC screening, with more focus on the difficulty of discussing CRC screening with other individuals because it is considered a shameful subject (Beeker et al, 2000;Bridou et al, 2013).…”

Addressing Cancer Screening Inequities by Promoting Cancer Prevention Knowledge, Awareness, Self-Efficacy, and Screening Uptake Among Low-Income and Illiterate Immigrant Women in France

“…As per the HBM, the perceived benefits outweighed their perceived barriers to obtaining a screening [ 24 ]. These findings are consistent with the findings of other French studies [ 33 , 39 ].…”

“…As predicted by the Health Belief Model, the participants who perceived that they were susceptible to cancer and realized the seriousness of the disease and its consequences, expressed more motivation to get screened [ 24 ]. Similar to our study’s findings, Bridou et al‘s study [ 33 ] revealed that the main psychological facilitators of colorectal screening included having information about colorectal cancer screening and individuals’ perception of risk to getting colorectal cancer. Moreover, a systematic review conducted by Honein-AbouHaidar et al [ 34 ], demonstrated that the decision to participate in colorectal cancer screening depended on an individual’s awareness of colorectal cancer screening; increased awareness contributed to higher motivation for screening.…”

Insights into Colorectal Cancer Screening Awareness: A Study in the Community of Taif City

“…This confirms previous findings that psychological barriers may prevent colorectal cancer screening. [ 9 10 ] These fears and misconceptions can be addressed through targeted educational interventions and healthcare provider reassurance to increase screening participation. Participants’ colorectal cancer information sources were also examined.…”