Why do women participate in the English cervical cancer screening programme?

The vast majority of women in England attend for cervical cancer screening. Conventional economic theorising fails to explain why and its predictions are inconsistent with the evidence. Using questionnaire data, we analyse directly motivations for screening attendance. We conclude that regular attendance at screening is driven primarily by a search for reassurance, a sense of duty and herd signalling. It is evident that recognisable sub-groups of attenders exist, in which the configurations of motivational factors differ. Being motivated to attend by physicians is less significant that is widely supposed and is more frequently associated with irregular attendance.