SynthesisBMC cancer2015
Influences of cancer symptom knowledge, beliefs and barriers on cancer symptom presentation in relation to socioeconomic deprivation: a systematic review.
Synthesis in BMC cancer, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 78 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
78 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 123 citations in OpenAlex.
- Disparities in access to surgical resection in patients with pancreatic cancer - a systematic review.Journal of gastrointestinal surgery : official journal of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract · 2025Pooled it
- Older People's Help-Seeking Behaviors in Rural Contexts: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Psychosocial influences on help-seeking behaviour for cancer in low-income and lower middle-income countries: a mixed-methods systematic review.BMJ global health · 2021Pooled it
- Recruitment and retention of participants from socioeconomically deprived communities: lessons from the Awareness and Beliefs About Cancer (ABACus3) Randomised Controlled Trial.BMC medical research methodology · 2020Trial
- Developing and testing a web-based intervention to encourage early help-seeking in people with symptoms associated with lung cancer.British journal of health psychology · 2019Trial
- Healthcare seeking with colorectal cancer symptoms-results from two Danish population-based surveys in 2012 and 2022.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2026Article
- Exploring perceived access to and previous experiences with general practice and associations with health literacy in the Danish population.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2026Article
- Benchmarking Cervical Cancer Care Pathways-Measuring Timelines and Identifying Factors Associated With Delay for Women Undergoing Definitive Radiotherapy in New South Wales, Australia.The Australian & New Zealand journal of obstetrics & gynaecology · 2026Article
- Small-Scale School-Based Cancer Education to Improve Awareness and Risk Reduction Knowledge Among Adolescents: A Pilot Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- Interventions to Improve Timely Detection and Diagnosis of Cancer Among the Adult Population: A Scoping Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Lung cancer care pathways and journeys: insights from patients at the National Cancer Institute in Mexico.BMC global and public health · 2026Article
- Effect of social stressors and social determinants of health (SDOH) on cancer beliefs: Analysis of a cancer center catchment area.Journal of psychosocial oncology · 2026Article
- The incidence and severity of paediatric cholesteatomas in relation to socioeconomic deprivation.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026Article
- The inverse palliative care law in advanced lung disease: a mixed-methods systematic review and meta-analysis.EClinicalMedicine · 2026Article
- Unmet Supportive Care Needs in Cancer Survivors in Spain: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study on Prevalence and Sociodemographic and Disease-Related Risk Factors.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Article
- Communities against cancer: a qualitative study assessing the effectiveness of a community engagement initiative in improving cancer awareness for marginalised communities.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Smoking status, symptom significance and healthcare seeking with lung cancer symptoms in the Danish general population.NPJ primary care respiratory medicine · 2025Article
- Aggressive Sternum Extension in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Barriers to Timely Care in a Resource-Limited Setting.Case reports in hematology · 2025Article
- Socio-Economic Inequalities in Beliefs About Cancer and its Causes: Evidence From two Population Surveys.Psycho-oncology · 2024Article
- Global unmet psychosocial needs in cancer care: health policy.EClinicalMedicine · 2024Review
18 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPeople from lower socioeconomic groups have worse survival outcomes for cancer, which in part reflects later-stage disease at diagnosis. The mechanisms underlying delayed cancer symptom presentation in lower socioeconomic groups are not well understood.
methodsSystematic review of studies of actual or anticipated symptom presentation across all tumour sites. Included studies measured socioeconomic group, symptom presentation and one or more of the following variables: cancer symptom knowledge, beliefs about cancer, barriers/facilitators to symptom presentation.
resultsA total of 60 studies was included. Symptom knowledge overall was lowest and actual presentation time was longest in lower socioeconomic groups. Knowledge for specific symptoms such as lumps and bleeding was good and encouraged timely symptom presentation, in contrast to non-specific symptoms which were not well recognised. The combination of fearful and fatalistic beliefs was typically associated with later presentation, especially in lower socioeconomic groups. Emotional barriers such as 'worry what the doctor might find' were more frequently reported in lower socioeconomic groups, and there was evidence to suggest that disclosing symptoms to family/friends could help or hinder early presentation.
conclusionsPoor symptom knowledge, fearful and fatalistic beliefs about cancer, and emotional barriers combine to prolong symptom presentation among lower socioeconomic groups. Targeted interventions should utilise social networks to improve knowledge of non-specific symptoms, challenge negative beliefs and encourage help-seeking, in order to reduce avoidable delays and minimise socioeconomic group inequalities.
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Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.