Exploring the reasons for women not attending screening tests.

Introduction: Breast and cervical cancer contribute significantly to female cancer mortality worldwide and in Hungary.  Organized breast and cervical screening was introduced in Hungary as part of a public health program. We previously conducted a questionnaire-based survey to examine the participation of women in Nyíregyháza who belong to the target group of the screening programs in breast and cervical cancer screening, comparing the data with Hungarian and European data, and we also sought to identify correlations between the demographic and socioeconomic factors that determine screening coverage. The participation of women in Nyíregyháza in breast and cervical screening is not low, but organized screening programs have not been able to sufficiently involve older women with lower socioeconomic status. In order to increase participation in screening tests, it is important to identify motivational factors and reasons for non-participation. The aim of our research is to identify the reasons for non-participation and the patterns thereof.

Methodology: Based on the results of our questionnaire survey, we organized focus group interviews with adult female residents in Nyíregyháza. A total of three focus groups of 7-9 people were organized with the participation of adult female residents.

Results: The results of the interviews show that the most common reason for women with lower socioeconomic status and disadvantaged backgrounds staying away is fear (e.g., of the examination, the results of the examination, or losing their job). Uncertainty stemming from shortcomings in the healthcare system is also common.

Conclusions: In many cases, women's fears are based on a lack of information and low health literacy. Providing accurate information and increasing health literacy can help overcome the reasons for non-participation in screening. To this end, it is important to promote health among the population and to develop health communication tailored to specific groups by professionals.