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How is cervical cancer screening information communicated in UK websites? Cross-sectional analysis of content and quantitative presentation formats

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dc.contributor.author Okan, Yasmina
dc.contributor.author Smith, Samuel G.
dc.contributor.author Bruine de Bruin, Wändi
dc.date.accessioned 2023-02-24T07:04:53Z
dc.date.available 2023-02-24T07:04:53Z
dc.date.issued 2019
dc.identifier.citation Okan Y, Smith SG, Bruine de Bruin W. How is cervical cancer screening information communicated in UK websites? Cross-sectional analysis of content and quantitative presentation formats. BMJ Open. 2019;9(10):e029551. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029551
dc.identifier.issn 2044-6055
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10230/55916
dc.description.abstract Objectives To investigate whether UK websites about cervical cancer screening targeted to the public include (1) information about benefits and risks of screening, possible screening results and cervical cancer statistics, (2) quantitative presentation formats recommended in the risk communication literature and (3) appeals for participation and/or informed decision-making. Design Cross-sectional analysis of websites using a comprehensive checklist of information items on screening benefits, risks, possible results and cervical cancer statistics. Outcome measures We recorded the number of websites that contained each of the information items, and the presentation format used for probabilistic information (no quantification provided, verbal quantifiers only, different types of numerical formats and/or graphs). We also recorded the number of websites containing appeals for participation and/or informed decision-making. Setting Websites were identified through the most common Google search terms used in the UK to find information on cervical screening, according to GoogleTrends and a commercial internet-monitoring programme. Two additional websites were identified by the authors as relevant. Results After applying exclusion criteria, 14 websites were evaluated, including websites of public and private health service providers, charities, a medical society and a pharmacy. The websites mentioned different benefits, risks of screening and possible results. However, specific content varied between websites. Probabilistic information was often presented using non-recommended formats, including relative risk reductions to express screening benefits, and verbal quantifiers without numbers to express risks. Appeals for participation were present in most websites, with almost half also mentioning informed decision-making. Conclusions UK websites about cervical cancer screening were generally balanced. However, benefits and risks were presented using different formats, potentially hindering comparisons. Additionally, recommendations from the literature to facilitate understanding of quantitative information and facilitate informed decisions were often not followed. Designing websites that adhere to existing recommendations may support informed screening uptake.
dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
dc.language.iso eng
dc.publisher BMJ Publishing Group
dc.relation.ispartof BMJ Open. 2019;9(10):e029551.
dc.rights © Okan Y, Smith SG, Bruine de Bruin W. “This article was published in BMJ Open following peer review and can also be viewed on the journal’s website at http://bmjopen.bmj.com” Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license
dc.rights.uri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject.other Càncer--Imatgeria
dc.subject.other Comunicació--Gran Bretanya
dc.title How is cervical cancer screening information communicated in UK websites? Cross-sectional analysis of content and quantitative presentation formats
dc.type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.identifier.doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029551
dc.rights.accessRights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.type.version info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

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