Publicatie

Publicatie datum

Motives for non-adherence to colonoscopy advice after a positive colorectal cancer screening test result: a qualitative study.

Bertels, L., Lucassen, P., Asselt, K. van, Dekker, E., Weert, H. van, Knottnerus, B. Motives for non-adherence to colonoscopy advice after a positive colorectal cancer screening test result: a qualitative study. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care: 2020, 38(4), p. 487-498.
Lees online
Setting
Participants with a positive faecal immunochemical test (FIT) in screening programs for colorectal cancer (CRC) have a high risk for colorectal cancer and advanced adenomas. They are therefore recommended follow-up by colonoscopy. However, more than ten percent of positively screened persons do not adhere to this advice.

Objective
To investigate FIT-positive individuals’ motives for non-adherence to colonoscopy advice in the Dutch CRC screening program.

Subjects
Non-adherent FIT-positive participants of the Dutch CRC screening program.

Design
We conducted semi structured in-depth interviews with 17 persons who did not undergo colonoscopy within 6 months after a positive FIT. Interviews were undertaken face-toface and data were analysed thematically with open coding and constant comparison.

Results
All participants had multifactorial motives for non-adherence. A preference for more personalised care was described with the following themes: aversion against the design of the screening program, expectations of personalised care, emotions associated with experiences of impersonal care and a desire for counselling where options other than colonoscopy could be discussed. Furthermore, intrinsic motives were: having a perception of low risk for CRC
(described by all participants), aversion and fear of colonoscopy, distrust, reluctant attitude to the treatment of cancer and cancer fatalism. Extrinsic motives were: having other health issues or priorities, practical barriers, advice from a general practitioner (GP) and financial reasons.

Conclusion
Personalised screening counselling might have helped to improve the interviewees’ experiences with the screening program as well as their knowledge on CRC and CRC screening. Future studies should explore whether personalised screening counselling also has potential to increase adherence rates.