Dataset Information

Measuring the nature and duration of symptoms of cervical cancer in young women: developing an interview-based approach.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Some young women experience delays in diagnosis of cervical cancer, but little research about ways of studying these delays has been published. A major challenge is that gynaecological symptoms are common in young women, but cervical cancer is rare. This study describes the development and testing of a measure for studying delays in diagnosis in young women with cervical cancer.

Methods

Prospective development of an interview measure and testing of its ability to reliably and systematically collect relevant data in two large hospitals in London, UK using 27 women aged 18-40 diagnosed with cervical cancer in the previous two years. We developed a semi-structured interview schedule and data extraction form to systematically collect data on symptoms (including nature and duration) and risk factors for delayed diagnosis from young women with cervical cancer. We piloted the measure among young women with cervical cancer (audiorecording it with their permission), refining it iteratively. To complete the measure, we developed a database for managing the data and a manual for using the schedule. Two researchers extracted data from the recorded interviews to assess inter-rater reliability.

Results

The final interview schedule yielded quantitative data on the nature and duration of symptoms and risk factors for delayed diagnosis. Inter-rater reliability was high. In the pilot, 12 of the 27 women were diagnosed via symptomatic presentation. Median time from the symptom triggering presentation to presentation was one month (interquartile range 0-4 months). Median time from presentation to diagnosis was three months (interquartile range 1-8.5 months).

Conclusions

We have developed a reliable tool for measuring the nature and duration of symptoms in young women with cervical cancer. Pilot data suggest that a substantial proportion of women experience delay between first presentation and diagnosis.

SUBMITTER: Lim AW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3835395 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Measuring the nature and duration of symptoms of cervical cancer in young women: developing an interview-based approach.

Lim Anita W W AW Forbes Lindsay J L LJ Rosenthal Adam N AN Raju Kantipati S KS Ramirez Amanda-Jane AJ

BMC women's health 20131113

<h4>Background</h4>Some young women experience delays in diagnosis of cervical cancer, but little research about ways of studying these delays has been published. A major challenge is that gynaecological symptoms are common in young women, but cervical cancer is rare. This study describes the development and testing of a measure for studying delays in diagnosis in young women with cervical cancer.<h4>Methods</h4>Prospective development of an interview measure and testing of its ability to reliab ...[more]

PMID: 24219028

Similar Datasets

Project description:We have previously documented the relationships between stress and depression symptoms and adolescent women's nonuse and misuse of condoms and other contraceptive methods and on their unintended pregnancy rates.Here, we examine relationships between mental health symptoms and another understudied adolescent reproductive health behavior-frequency of sexual intercourse.Our outcome was weekly sexual intercourse activity.We used panel data from a longitudinal, population-based cohort study of 992 women ages 18-20. Weekly journals measured sociodemographic, relationship, reproductive, and mental health characteristics, sexual and contraceptive behaviors, and pregnancy history. We examined 27,130 surveys from 952 women during the first study year. Predictors of weekly sexual intercourse were moderate to severe stress (Perceived Stress Scale-4) and depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-5) symptoms measured at baseline. Multilevel, mixed-effects logistic regression models estimated the relationships between stress and depression symptoms and the weekly odds of sexual intercourse while adjusting for covariate fixed effects and random woman effects.Nearly a quarter of the sample had moderate to severe stress (23%) and depression (24%) symptoms at baseline. Women reported sexual intercourse in 36% of weeks. Proportions of sexually active weeks were higher among women with stress (43%) and depression (40%) compared with those without symptoms (35% and 35%, respectively; P values<0.001). Controlling for covariates, women with baseline stress symptoms had 1.6 times higher weekly odds of sexual intercourse compared with women without stress (adjusted odds ratio 1.6, confidence interval [1.1, 2.5]; P=0.04). Depression symptoms were not associated with sexual intercourse frequency in adjusted models.Stress symptoms were positively associated with sexual intercourse frequency among these young women. Research and practice efforts are needed to identify effective sexual health promotion and risk-reduction strategies, including contraceptive education and counseling, in the context of mental health symptoms and unintended pregnancy.

Project description:BackgroundThere is scanty or inconclusive evidence on which cervical cancer screening tool is effective and suitable for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive women. The aim of this review was to assess, synthesise and document published evidence relating to the available cervical cancer screening modalities for HIV-seropositive women in developing countries. This paper did not review the issue of human papillomavirus (HPV) prophylactic vaccine on HIV-seropositive women.MethodsFive electronic databases were systematically searched from inception to January 2018 for relevant published original research examining cervical cancer prevention modalities for HPV infection, abnormal cytology and direct visualisation of the cervix amongst HIV-seropositive women in developing countries. Extra studies were identified through reference list and citation tracking.ResultsDue to methodological and clinical heterogeneity, a narrative synthesis was presented. Of the 2559 articles, 149 underwent full-text screening and 25 were included in the review. Included studies were of moderate quality, and no exclusions were made based on quality or bias. There is no standard cervical cancer screening test or programme for HIV-seropositive women and countries screening according to available resources and expertise. The screening methods used for HIV-seropositive women are the same for HIV-negative women, with varying clinical performance and accuracy. The main cervical cancer screening methods described for HIV-seropositive women are HPV deoxyribonucleic acid/messenger RNA (DNA/mRNA) testing (n = 16, 64.0%), visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) (n = 13, 52.0%) and Pap smear (n = 11, 44.0%). HPV testing has a better accuracy/efficiency than other methods with a sensitivity of 80.0-97.0% and specificity of 51.0-78.0%. Sequential screening using VIA or visual inspection with Lugol's iodine (VILI) and HPV testing has shown better clinical performance in screening HIV-seropositive women.ConclusionAlthough cervical cancer screening exists in almost all developing countries, what is missing is both opportunistic and systematic organised population-based screenings. Cervical cancer screening programmes need to be integrated into already existing HIV services to enable early detection and treatment. There is a need to offer opportunistic and coordinated screening programmes that are provider-initiated to promote early identification of cervical precancerous lesions.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42018095702.

Dataset Information

Measuring the nature and duration of symptoms of cervical cancer in young women: developing an interview-based approach.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Measuring the nature and duration of symptoms of cervical cancer in young women: developing an interview-based approach.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets