Views of health professionals on risk-based breast cancer screening and its implementation in the Spanish National Health System : A qualitative discussion group study /
Laza-Vásquez, Celmira,
Views of health professionals on risk-based breast cancer screening and its implementation in the Spanish National Health System : A qualitative discussion group study / Celmira Laza-Vásquez, Núria Codern-Bové, Àngels Cardona-Cardona, Maria José Hernández-Leal, Maria José Pérez-Lacasta, Misericòrdia Carles-Lavila, Montserrat Rué, DECIDO group
Background With the aim of increasing benefits and decreasing harms, risk-based breast cancer screening has been proposed as an alternative to age-based screening. This study explores barriers and facilitators to implementing a risk-based breast cancer screening program from the perspective of health professionals, in the context of a National Health Service. Methods Socio-constructivist qualitative research carried out in Catalonia (Spain), in the year 2019. Four discussion groups were conducted, with a total of 29 health professionals from primary care, breast cancer screening programs, hospital breast units, epidemiology units, and clinical specialties. A descriptive-interpretive thematic analysis was performed. Results Identified barriers included resistance to reducing the number of screening exams for low-risk women; resistance to change for health professionals; difficulties in risk communication; lack of conclusive evidence of the benefits of risk-based screening; limited economic resources; and organizational transformation. Facilitators include benefits of risk-based strategies for high and low-risk women; women's active role in their health care; proximity of women and primary care professionals; experience of health professionals in other screening programs; and greater efficiency of a risk-based screening program. Organizational and administrative changes in the health system, commitment by policy makers, training of health professionals, and educational interventions addressed to the general population will be required. Conclusions Despite the expressed difficulties, participants supported the implementation of risk-based screening. They highlighted its benefits, especially for women at high risk of breast cancer and those under 50 years of age, and assumed a greater efficiency of the risk-based program compared to the aged-based one. Future studies should assess the efficiency and feasibility of risk-based breast cancer screening for its transfer to clinical practice.
Laza-Vásquez C, Codern-Bové N, Cardona-Cardona À, Hernández-Leal MJ, Pérez-Lacasta MJ, Carles-Lavila M, et al. (2022) Views of health professionals on risk-based breast cancer screening and its implementation in the Spanish National Health System: A qualitative discussion group study. PLoS ONE 17(2): e0263788. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263788
Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
10.1371/journal.pone.0263788 doi
Càncer de mama
Cribratge (Medicina)
Personal sanitari
Actitud (Psicologia)
Diagnòstic precoç
Factors de risc
Salut pública
Investigació qualitativa
Professors --EUIT
Breast neoplasm Health Personnel Attitude Early detection Risk factors Screening Qualitative research Spain Cancer de mama Personal sanitario Cribado Factores de riesgo Salud pública Investigación qualitativa
Views of health professionals on risk-based breast cancer screening and its implementation in the Spanish National Health System : A qualitative discussion group study / Celmira Laza-Vásquez, Núria Codern-Bové, Àngels Cardona-Cardona, Maria José Hernández-Leal, Maria José Pérez-Lacasta, Misericòrdia Carles-Lavila, Montserrat Rué, DECIDO group
Background With the aim of increasing benefits and decreasing harms, risk-based breast cancer screening has been proposed as an alternative to age-based screening. This study explores barriers and facilitators to implementing a risk-based breast cancer screening program from the perspective of health professionals, in the context of a National Health Service. Methods Socio-constructivist qualitative research carried out in Catalonia (Spain), in the year 2019. Four discussion groups were conducted, with a total of 29 health professionals from primary care, breast cancer screening programs, hospital breast units, epidemiology units, and clinical specialties. A descriptive-interpretive thematic analysis was performed. Results Identified barriers included resistance to reducing the number of screening exams for low-risk women; resistance to change for health professionals; difficulties in risk communication; lack of conclusive evidence of the benefits of risk-based screening; limited economic resources; and organizational transformation. Facilitators include benefits of risk-based strategies for high and low-risk women; women's active role in their health care; proximity of women and primary care professionals; experience of health professionals in other screening programs; and greater efficiency of a risk-based screening program. Organizational and administrative changes in the health system, commitment by policy makers, training of health professionals, and educational interventions addressed to the general population will be required. Conclusions Despite the expressed difficulties, participants supported the implementation of risk-based screening. They highlighted its benefits, especially for women at high risk of breast cancer and those under 50 years of age, and assumed a greater efficiency of the risk-based program compared to the aged-based one. Future studies should assess the efficiency and feasibility of risk-based breast cancer screening for its transfer to clinical practice.
Laza-Vásquez C, Codern-Bové N, Cardona-Cardona À, Hernández-Leal MJ, Pérez-Lacasta MJ, Carles-Lavila M, et al. (2022) Views of health professionals on risk-based breast cancer screening and its implementation in the Spanish National Health System: A qualitative discussion group study. PLoS ONE 17(2): e0263788. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263788
Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
10.1371/journal.pone.0263788 doi
Càncer de mama
Cribratge (Medicina)
Personal sanitari
Actitud (Psicologia)
Diagnòstic precoç
Factors de risc
Salut pública
Investigació qualitativa
Professors --EUIT
Breast neoplasm Health Personnel Attitude Early detection Risk factors Screening Qualitative research Spain Cancer de mama Personal sanitario Cribado Factores de riesgo Salud pública Investigación qualitativa