Early Detection of Gynecological Cancers and Breast Cancer During the Pandemic and Screening Tests: What Do Women Think?

Abstract

Objective: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted to determine women’s opinions about screening tests and early detection of gynecological cancers and breast cancer during the pandemic.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive and cross-sectional study, a descriptive information form developed by the researchers through a literature review was used to collect data.

Results: The study was conducted with 220 women who met the study criteria. More than half of the participants reported that they would not visit the doctor due to the pandemic even if they were faced with conditions that might be the indicators of cancer such as pain in the genital or abdominal region (56.4%), abnormal vaginal bleeding (63.2%), difficulty urinating (54.5%), pain during sexual intercourse (55%), collapsed, discolored or deformed nipples (66.8%), redness / sore on the nipple (61.4%) and long-term back pain (54.5%). Of them, 71.4% did not want to have gynecological controls, 69.5% did not want to have cervical cancer screening tests, and 59.5% did not want to have mammography and clinical breast examination.

Conclusion: During the pandemic, most women choose to avoid healthcare if they experience potential breast cancer and gynecological cancer symptoms. 

Keywords

• Screening tests
• cancer
• gynecology
• breast cancer
• COVID-19

Pandemi Döneminde Jinekolojik Kanserler ve Meme Kanserinin Erken Tanınması ve Tarama Testleri: Kadınlar Ne Düşünüyor?

Öz

Amaç: Çalışma pandemi döneminde jinekolojik kanserler ve meme kanserinin erken tanınması ve tarama testleri hakkında kadınların görüşlerini belirlemek amacıyla tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel tipte gerçekleştirilmiştir.

Materyal ve Metot: Çalışma tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel tipte planlanmıştır. Veri toplama formu olarak araştırmacıların literatür taraması yaparak oluşturduğu tanıtıci bilgi formu kullanılmıştır.

Bulgular: Çalışma kriterlerine uyan 220 kadınla tamamlanan çalışmada katılımcıların yarısından fazlası cinsel bölge veya karın bölgesinde ağrı (%56,4), anormal vajinal kanama (%63,2), idrar yapmada zorlanma (%54,5), cinsel ilişki sırasında ağrı duyma (%55), meme başında çökme, renk değişikliği, şekil bozukluğu (%66,8), meme başında kızarıklık /yara (%61,4) ve uzun süreli sırt ağrısı (%54,5) gibi kanser belirtileri olabilecek durumlarla karşılaşsa bile pandemi nedeniyle doktora gitmeyeceğini bildirmiştir. %71,4’ü jinekolojik kontrollerini yaptırmak istemediğini, %69,5’i rahim ağzı kanser tarama testlerini yaptırmak istemediğini, %59,5’i mamografi ve klinik meme muayenesi yaptırmak istemediğini bildirmiştir.

Sonuç: Pandemi sırasında kadınların çoğu, potansiyel meme kanseri ve jinekolojik kanser semptomları yaşamaları durumunda sağlık hizmetlerinden kaçınmayı tercih etmektedir. 

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Tarama testleri
• kanser
• jinekoloji
• meme kanseri
• COVID-19

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