Socio-culturally informed views influencing iranian adults’ decision about colorectal cancer screening: A qualitative study

Abstract

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the causes of death in the world and Iran. Screening reduces the risk of CRC mortality. The rate of CRC screening is low among Iranian adults. Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing Iranian adults’ decision about CRC screening. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in Hamadan, Iran, between January and April 2015. The data were collected through 10 focus group discussions with 61 people, who had not undergone screening tests. The purposive sampling method was used in this study. We audiotaped and transcribed the interviews and extracted major themes from the data. Results: The mean age of the participants was 54.92 ± 8.21 years old. We identified 6 themes across the focus groups, including 1, awareness and knowledge; 2, financial problems; 3, low priority of health concerns; 4, fear of detection of cancer; 5, problems related to the nature of CRC screening tests; and 6, mistrust in the health care system. Conclusions: The findings of this study provide insight into the factors influencing CRC screening among Iranian adults and can help policy makers and health planners in designing effective interventions for increasing CRC screening rates.