Jo Waller: People like choice but they also value recommendations

Jo Waller, Professor of Cancer Behavioural Science at Queen Mary University of London, shared a post on LinkedIn about a recent paper by Laura Marlow et al. published in the Journal of Medical Screening.

“Attitudes towards being offered a choice of self-sampling or clinician sampling for cervical screening: A cross-sectional survey of women taking part in a clinical validation of HPV self-collection devices”

Authors: Laura Marlow, Hannah Drysdale and Jo Waller.

“Our new study highlights a communication conundrum for cervical screening: people like choice but they also value recommendations.

As increasing numbers of countries start to offer self-sampling for HPV-based cervical screening, we need to think carefully about how best to support those for whom a choice feels worrying or difficult.

Unless we develop good messaging and decision support, there is a risk that attempts to improve the screening offer may inadvertently widen inequalities in uptake.”