Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34991531›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2022

Is concern for gynaecological alarm symptoms associated with healthcare-seeking? A Danish population-based cross-sectional study.

Anja Schmidt Vejlgaard, Sanne Rasmussen, Peter Fentz Haastrup, Dorte Ejg Jarbøl, Kirubakaran Balasubramaniam

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 34% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Anja Schmidt VejlgaardResearch Unit of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9A, DK5000, Odense C, Denmark.
Sanne RasmussenResearch Unit of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9A, DK5000, Odense C, Denmark.
Peter Fentz HaastrupResearch Unit of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9A, DK5000, Odense C, Denmark.
Dorte Ejg JarbølResearch Unit of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9A, DK5000, Odense C, Denmark.
Kirubakaran BalasubramaniamResearch Unit of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9A, DK5000, Odense C, Denmark. kiruba@health.sdu.dk.
University of Southern Denmark · DK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDiagnosing cancer at an early stage increases survival, and for most gynaecological cancers the diagnostic pathway is initiated, when women seek medical attention with symptoms. As many factors influence healthcare-seeking, knowledge about these factors is important. Concern can act as a barrier or a trigger for women experiencing gynaecological alarm symptoms. This study aimed to examine whether concern for the symptom or the current health was associated with healthcare-seeking among women with gynaecological alarm symptoms.

methodsSome 100,000 randomly selected Danish citizens were invited to a national web-based survey. The questionnaire included items regarding symptom experiences, healthcare-seeking and concern for the experienced symptoms and current health. This study included 5019 women with self-reported gynaecological alarm symptoms (pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, bleeding during intercourse and postmenopausal bleeding). Concern was reported on a 5-point Likert scale from 'not at all' to 'extremely'. Data were analysed using multivariate logistic regression models.

resultsWomen who were 'extremely' concerned about a gynaecological alarm symptom had two to six times higher odds of reporting healthcare-seeking compared to women who were 'not at all' concerned. Symptom concern was associated with higher odds of healthcare-seeking for all four gynaecological alarm symptoms and the odds increased with increasing levels of concern. Additionally, concern for current health was associated with higher odds of healthcare-seeking. Concern for current health as expressed by others was positively associated with healthcare-seeking but had only minor influence on the association between concern for current health and healthcare-seeking.

conclusionsConcern for a gynaecological alarm symptom and for current health was positively associated with healthcare-seeking. The results can be used for future informational health campaigns targeting individuals at risk of postponing warranted healthcare-seeking.

Indexed as

Genital Neoplasms, FemalePatient Acceptance of Health CareCross-Sectional StudiesDenmarkFemaleHumansSurveys and QuestionnairesAlarm symptomsConcernGynaecologyHealthcare-seeking behaviourPrimary healthcareWomen

Identifiers

PMID34991531
PMCPMC8739714
OpenAlexW4205382002

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.