Percezione, pregiudizi e preferenze informative delle donne milanesi sui limiti dello screening mammografico e sulla sovradiagnosi

F De Nard, S Deandrea, Aj Bastiampillai, L Cavazzana, D Carnevali, N Principi, E Luconi, Peter Schulz, S Castaldi, Ar Silvestri

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

Abstract

[Autom. eng. transl.] BACKGROUND: communicating breast cancer screening (BCS) limits and overdiagnosis implies providing complete and balanced information to allow informed decision-making. OBJECTIVES: to describe women's perceptions, preconceptions, and information preferences regarding the breast can-cer screening (BCS) program paper and web information materials of the Agency for Health Protection of the Metropolitan Area of ​​Milan (Lombardy Region, Northern Italy). DESIGN: qualitative, descriptive study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: participants' voluntary recruitment took place in the registration departments of three hospitals. Participants were purposively recruited based on sociodemographic characteristics of the target population of the program (44 women aged 40-74 years, living in the Metropolitan Area of ​​Milan). In each material type subgroup, different health literacy levels and age classes were included, until thematic saturation was reached. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: thematic analysis of qualitative data collected during think-aloud interviews. RESULTS: the thematic analysis identified 5 main themes: 1. validation of the information reported in the materials, according to the interviewees' personal experiences; 2. information preferences of particular subgroups of women, which led to a tailored approach for the web materials; 3. negative emotions selicited while receiving information regarding BCS limits, which guided the rewriting of certain definitions; 4. disproportionate risk perception, with greater weight attributed to the risk of false negative results than the risk of overdiagnosis; 5. organizational preferences regarding the type and frequency of the provided tests and the age limits of the program. CONCLUSIONS: in the present sample of women living in the Metropolitan Area of ​​Milan, knowledge and comprehension of overdiagnosis are scarce. The main reasons for distrust in the BCS program rely on the preexisting beliefs regarding the most appropriate tests and age limits. These beliefs were established from previously received information, inconsistent with that officially provided by the program.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)N/A-N/A
JournalEpidemiologia e prevenzione
Publication statusPublished - 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Breast cancer
  • Cancer screening
  • Communication
  • Overdiagnosis
  • Qualitative study
  • Early Detection of Cancer
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Mammography
  • Perception
  • Breast Neoplasms

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