ArticleBJGP open2020
The role of chronic conditions in influencing symptom attribution and anticipated help-seeking for potential lung cancer symptoms: a vignette-based study.
Article in BJGP open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- A systematic review of factors associated with the patient and diagnostic intervals in gastric cancer.Gastric cancer : official journal of the International Gastric Cancer Association and the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association · 2026Pooled it
- Symptom Attribution, Help Seeking and Willingness to Undergo Diagnostic Investigations for Bowel Cancer Symptoms in People With Anxiety and/or Depression-A Vignette Study.Psycho-oncology · 2025Trial
- Diagnostic pathways for lung cancer patients in Denmark: General practice events, first referral and stage at diagnosis.Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden) · 2026Article
- Beyond smoking status: risk factors for pulmonary nodules ≥5 mm in a Chinese community screening program.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Changes in diagnostic evaluation of patients with lung cancer symptoms.NPJ primary care respiratory medicine · 2025Article
- Facilitating and Hindering Factors of Health Help-Seeking Behavior in Patients with Chronic Diseases: A Qualitative Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Article
- Attribution of colorectal cancer symptoms to medications for pre-existing chronic conditions: a secondary analysis of a vignette study in England.Journal of public health (Oxford, England) · 2025Article
- Smoking status, symptom significance and healthcare seeking with lung cancer symptoms in the Danish general population.NPJ primary care respiratory medicine · 2025Article
- Impact of Self-Reported Long-Term Mental Health Morbidity on Help-Seeking and Diagnostic Testing for Bowel-Related Cancer Symptoms: A Vignette Study.Cancer medicine · 2024Article
- Clinical decision-making on lung cancer investigations in primary care: a vignette study.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Challenges in understanding inequities in help-seeking for possible cancer symptoms.BMC global and public health · 2024Review
- Article
- Article
- Factors influencing symptom appraisal and help-seeking of older adults with possible cancer: a mixed-methods systematic review.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2022Article
- The prevalence of chronic conditions in patients diagnosed with one of 29 common and rarer cancers: A cross-sectional study using primary care data.Cancer epidemiology · 2020Article
- Comorbidity and the diagnosis of symptomatic-but-as-yet-undiagnosed cancer.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundVery little is known about the influence of chronic conditions on symptom attribution and help-seeking for potential cancer symptoms.
aimTo determine if symptom attribution and anticipated help-seeking for potential lung cancer symptoms is influenced by pre-existing respiratory conditions (often referred to as comorbidity), such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). DESIGN &
settingA total of 2143 adults (1081 with and 1062 without a respiratory condition) took part in an online vignette survey.
methodThe vignette described potential lung cancer symptoms (persistent cough and breathlessness) after which questions were asked on symptom attribution and anticipated help-seeking.
resultsAttribution of symptoms to cancer was similar in participants with and without respiratory conditions (21.5% and 22.1%, respectively). Participants with respiratory conditions, compared with those without, were more likely to attribute the new or changing cough and breathlessness to asthma or COPD (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 3.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.02 to 4.39). Overall, 56.5% of participants reported intention to seek help from a GP within 3 weeks if experiencing the potential lung cancer symptoms. Having a respiratory condition increased the odds of prompt help-seeking (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.49). Regular healthcare appointments were associated with higher odds of anticipated help-seeking.
conclusionOnly one in five participants identified persistent cough and breathlessness as potential cancer symptoms, and half said they would promptly seek help from a GP, indicating scope for promoting help-seeking for new or changing symptoms. Chronic respiratory conditions did not appear to interfere with anticipated help-seeking, which might be explained by regular appointments to manage chronic conditions.
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