Health Systems and Behavioral Sciences Domain, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University Singapore, Singapore.
National University Polyclinics, National University Health System, Singapore College of Family Physicians, Singapore.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2023 Mar 1;24(3):889-895. doi: 10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.3.889.
The uptake of breast and cervical cancer screening services among women in Singapore remains inadequate. Little is known about how gender norms influence women's decision to undergo these screening services in a multi-ethnic Asian context. This research aimed to explore how gender-based qualitative factors influence women's decision to screen.
Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews from 40 racially diverse women aged 25 and above who had visited polyclinics for their chronic disease management. Women were recruited using a purposive maximum variation sampling strategy to ensure representation of their views from the three major ethnic groups and based on inclusion criteria. Interviews were conducted either face-to-face or via telephone call. Interviews were audiotaped and lasted 30 minutes on average. Interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached. The data was transcribed and analysed thematically.
Gender norms and gender non-concordance with the healthcare professionals did not inhibit women from undergoing breast and cervical cancer screening services to a large extent. Women were empowered and had a central role in decision-making for screening services. Healthcare initiatives such as subsidies and mobile health applications facilitated the uptake of breast and cervical cancer screening services but can be improved further. Some of the barriers reported by Malay Muslims were not dissimilar to previous qualitative studies with women in this ethnic and religious group.
Gender socialisation, empowerment, and healthcare initiatives did not inhibit our study participants' decision to undergo breast and cervical cancer screening services. However, new initiatives and strengthening of the existing healthcare initiatives are needed to overcome any remnants of gender-related nuances and convert non-doers into doers.
新加坡女性对乳腺癌和宫颈癌筛查服务的接受率仍然不足。在多族裔亚洲背景下，性别规范如何影响女性接受这些筛查服务的决策，这方面的了解甚少。本研究旨在探讨基于性别的定性因素如何影响女性的筛查决策。
使用半结构式访谈，从 40 名年龄在 25 岁及以上、曾因慢性病管理而到诊所就诊的不同种族的女性中收集定性数据。采用有目的的最大变异抽样策略招募女性，以确保从三大族裔群体中代表她们的观点，并根据纳入标准进行招募。访谈以面对面或电话方式进行。访谈进行录音，平均持续 30 分钟。访谈一直持续到达到数据饱和。将数据转录并进行主题分析。
性别规范和与医疗保健专业人员的性别不一致在很大程度上并没有阻止女性接受乳腺癌和宫颈癌筛查服务。女性被赋予权力，并在筛查服务的决策中发挥核心作用。医疗保健举措，如补贴和移动健康应用程序，促进了乳腺癌和宫颈癌筛查服务的普及，但可以进一步改进。马来穆斯林女性报告的一些障碍与该族裔和宗教群体中之前的女性定性研究没有太大区别。
性别社会化、赋权和医疗保健举措并没有阻止我们的研究参与者接受乳腺癌和宫颈癌筛查服务的决定。然而，需要新的举措和加强现有的医疗保健举措，以克服任何与性别相关的细微差别，并将未使用者转变为使用者。
