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Cancer Screening as a Teachable Moment for Risk Reduction Behaviour

Stevens, Claire; (2020) Cancer Screening as a Teachable Moment for Risk Reduction Behaviour. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London). Green open access

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Abstract

Cancer screening could be a teachable moment for health behaviour change. This thesis explored whether cancer screening participation (breast, bowel, cervical, lung) could be a prompt for spontaneous behaviour change, or an opportunity to deliver behavioural cancer prevention interventions. A systematic review explored spontaneous health behaviour change following participation in breast, bowel, cervical and lung screening (Study 1). There was limited support for screening as a prompt for spontaneous behaviour change. In study 2, a sample of screening-naïve men was identified in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (n=774). Data indicated that Faecal Occult Blood Testing (FOBT) participation might prompt small positive changes to vigorous physical activity. Study 3A (n=1,037) found most breast, bowel and cervical screening intenders were willing to receive lifestyle advice in a hypothetical screening scenario, even if results require further investigations. Two-thirds of screening intenders were willing to receive advice about diet, weight and physical activity (Study 3B; n=1,221). Interest in advice about smoking and alcohol consumption was lower. In a hypothetical lung screening scenario, most screening intenders were willing to receive lifestyle advice alongside screening, more so if results require further investigations (Study 4; n=459). Half were interested in advice about smoking cessation. There was also some interest in advice about diet, weight, physical activity and alcohol consumption. An in-depth, qualitative exploration of openness to receiving lifestyle advice alongside cancer screening was conducted among 30 breast, bowel and cervical screening attendees (Study 5). Receptivity was influenced by individuals’ affective response to cancer screening and how advice would be delivered. Four distinct types of receptivity to advice were identified. This study does not support a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to intervention delivery in this setting. Together, findings from this thesis suggest that in the absence of spontaneous behaviour change, targeted interventions and advice may be welcome in the context of cancer screening.

Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Qualification: Ph.D
Title: Cancer Screening as a Teachable Moment for Risk Reduction Behaviour
Event: UCL (University College London)
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
Language: English
Additional information: Copyright © The Author 2020. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Behavioural Science and Health
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10098239
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