Dutch individuals’ views of screening for oesophageal cancer: a focus group study

Jasmijn Sijben*, Yonne Peters, Sharell Bas, Peter Siersema, Linda Rainey, Mireille Broeders

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)
38 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Objective Screening for early oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC), including its precursor Barrett’s oesophagus (BO), can potentially reduce OAC-related morbidity and mortality. This study explores Dutch at-risk individuals’ views of screening an at-risk population for BO/OAC. Design We invited 372 individuals with risk factors for OAC from primary care practices, 73 individuals with surveillance experience, and 221 participants of previous studies (BO/OAC screening trial or survey) to participate in focus groups. Transcripts were inductively and thematically analysed by two independent researchers. Results A total of 50 individuals (42% with gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms) of 50–75 years participated. Themes that were raised included: theme 1 ‘screening intentions’ describing participants’ motivation to be screened (eg, early diagnosis, potential reassurance, physician recommendation, and knowing someone with cancer) or decline screening (eg, anticipated discomfort or suboptimal accuracy of the test); theme 2 ‘risk-based eligibility’ describing the tension between effectiveness (eg, targeting high-risk individuals) and inclusivity (eg, making screening available for everyone); theme 3 ‘distributive justice’, in which the pressure of a potential new screening programme on healthcare resources was discussed; and theme 4 ‘information needs’ describing the perceived lack of information access and individuals’ preference to discuss screening with their general practitioner. Conclusion Individuals not only expressed high willingness to be screened but also voiced the concern that a new screening programme may pressure limited healthcare resources. If implemented, it is crucial to develop educational materials that meet the public’s information needs and explain the test procedures and eligibility criteria while avoiding stigmatising language.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere001136
JournalBMJ Open Gastroenterology
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 May 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was funded by the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) under grant 555004206.

Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023.

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