Breast and cervical cancer screening for women with physical disabilities: A qualitative study of experiences and barriers1. (10th June 2019) - Kilic, Ayse
Abstract: Aim: To determine the experiences of women with physical disabilities regarding the barriers to their participation in breast and cervical cancer screening. Design: Qualitative descriptive study. Method: Sixteen women who use wheelchairs were recruited. Data were collected via semi‐structured face‐to‐face interviews between January ‐ March 2017. Interviews were transcribed and data were analysed thematically. Results: Three main themes were uncovered: (a) Personal factors; such as lack of knowledge, fear and embarrassment, feeling anxious about the examination process and dependency on others; (b) Environmental and structural factors; and (c) expectations and suggestions of women with disabilities to enable their participation in screening. Conclusion: The participation rate of women with physical disabilities in screening is low. The participation of women with disabilities in breast and cervical cancer screening may increase if physical barriers to accessing healthcare services are removed, appropriate and less time‐consuming examination conditions are met, and healthcare personnel are informed about the needs of persons with disabilities. Impact: Knowing the barriers for women with physical disabilities to participate in cancer screening can help health professionals develop new procedures to increase their participation to cancer screening. Women with physical disabilities encountered various barriers such as; lack of knowledge, fear and embarrassment, feeling anxious about the examination process and dependency on others, access to the healthcare services, environmental, physical limitations, and inadequate knowledge of healthcare professional about their disability. This study will guide healthcare professionals in developing strategies to increase the participation of women with physical disabilities in screening. Abstract : 目的: 确定身体残疾妇女参与乳腺癌和宫颈癌筛查的障碍方面的经验。 设计: 定性和描述性研究。 方法: 本研究招募了16名使用轮椅的妇女。在2017年1月至3月期间对这些妇女进行了半结构化面对面访谈并进行了数据收集。对访谈内容进行了转录, 并对数据进行了主题分析。 结果: 本研究发现了三个主要主题:(a)个人因素;如缺乏知识, 害怕和尴尬, 对考试过程感到焦虑以及依赖他人;(b)环境和结构因素;(c)残疾妇女对于希望能够参与筛查所做出的期望以及建议。 结论: 身体残疾妇女参与筛查的比例较低。如果她们接受卫生保健服务的身体障碍消失, 满足适当和较短时间的检查条件, 并且告知卫生保健人员残疾人的需要, 残疾人妇女参与乳腺癌和宫颈癌筛查的比例可能会增加。 影响: 了解身体残疾妇女参与癌症筛查的障碍有助于医疗专业人士制定新程序, 提高妇女参与癌症筛查的比例。身体残疾的妇女会遇到各种障碍, 例如;缺乏知识, 害怕和尴尬, 对考试过程感到焦虑和依赖他人, 获得医疗服务, 环境, 身体的限制, 以及医疗专业人士缺少对他们的残疾知识的了解。这项研究将指导医疗专业人士制定战略, 从而提高身体残疾妇女参与筛查的比例。