Hardcastle, Elizabeth;
(2025)
Minds and Bodies in Cancer Care: Psychological Responses to Screening and Treatment.
Doctoral thesis (D.Clin.Psy), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
AIMS: The impact of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has long-lasting consequences for survivors, including social, psychological and behavioural outcomes. Health-seeking behaviours differ for this population, and an area of recent interest relates to the cervical Pap smear, as attendance to these preventative appointments has been declining annually. A comprehensive scoping review of the existing literature was conducted to explore the influence that a history of CSA has on cervical cancer screening utilisation. METHODS: Four bibliographic databases (PsycInfo, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science) were systematically searched for empirical literature related to the research question. Inclusion criteria focused on sexual abuse in childhood only and cervical cancer screening appointments. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were identified for inclusion and subjected to quality appraisal. An analysis was conducted of quantitative and qualitative data and results were integrated. The majority of the literature identified an association between a history of CSA and reduced attendance at a cervical Pap smear. Key themes from interviews are synthesised describing negative experiences associated with a Pap smear, which include examiner and examination characteristics, trauma, the relationship between provider and patient, and physical pain. DISCUSSION: This scoping review highlights the barriers experienced by women who have experienced CSA and what healthcare providers must do to identify and adapt to provide trauma-informed care within routine smear test appointments. Furthermore, it stresses the need for national health services to understand these barriers and promote change to increase attendance to these potentially life-saving preventative appointments.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | D.Clin.Psy |
| Title: | Minds and Bodies in Cancer Care: Psychological Responses to Screening and Treatment |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2025. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/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 > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10215040 |
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