Abstract
Given the absence of effective population-based screening tests for ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar cancers, early detection can depend on women and health care providers recognizing the potential significance of symptoms. In 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Inside Knowledge campaign began distributing consumer education materials promoting awareness of gynecologic cancer symptoms. We investigated providers’ in-office use of CDC gynecologic cancer materials and their recognition of the symptoms highlighted in the materials. We analyzed data from a national 2012 survey of US primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and gynecologists (N = 1,380). Less than a quarter of providers (19.4 %) reported using CDC gynecologic cancer education materials in their offices. The provider characteristics associated with the use of CDC materials were not consistent across specialties. However, recognition of symptoms associated with gynecologic cancers was consistently higher among providers who reported using CDC materials. The possibility that providers were educated about gynecologic cancer symptoms through the dissemination of materials intended for their patients is intriguing and warrants further investigation. Distributing consumer education materials in health care provider offices remains a priority for the Inside Knowledge campaign, as the setting where women and health care providers interact is one of the most crucial venues to promote awareness of gynecologic cancer symptoms.
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Acknowledgments
Funding for this study was provided by the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which licensed the 2012 DocStyles data analyzed from Porter Novelli (Washington DC). The authors thank Pedro J. Rodríguez, Northrop Grumman Corporation, for extracting the web site materials download data. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Cooper, C.P., Gelb, C.A., Rodriguez, J. et al. Promoting Gynecologic Cancer Awareness at a Critical Juncture—Where Women and Providers Meet. J Canc Educ 29, 247–251 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-013-0580-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-013-0580-z