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Perspectives, Dilemmas, and Guidelines in Patient-Centered Cervical Screening Communication

Abstract

Screening programs are constantly evolving to incorporate advances in testing, vaccines, as well as epidemiological developments. At the same time, digitalisation trends can enable healthcare to move into a patient-centric digital-first interaction paradigm. While this can improve effectiveness, its impact on patients and physicians is potentially adverse. We aim to understand how general practitioners (GPs) and their patients interact with digitalisation in evolving screening programs. Based on the Norwegian Cervical Cancer Screening Program, we conducted workshops with GPs to elucidate their concerns about (digital) communications in screening. We find that GPs are most concerned about (a) shielding their patients from unnecessary anxiety and complexity, as well as (b) potential escalation of their workload. We discuss dilemmas around the right-to-know, patient anxiety, and information overload, and then distill six design guidelines for a patient-centric communications of screening results: (i) use gradual disclosure, (ii) use delayed disclosure, (iii) pre-educate participants, (iv) do not push information, (v) notify on appropriate times of the day, and (vi) assign clear organizational responsibility.

Category

Academic chapter

Language

English

Author(s)

Affiliation

  • SINTEF Digital / Sustainable Communication Technologies
  • SINTEF Digital / Health Research
  • Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Year

2025

Publisher

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)

Book

Proceedings: 2025 IEEE International Conference on Digital Health (ICDH), Helsinki, Finland, 7-12 July 2025

ISBN

9798331555610

Page(s)

85 - 90

View this publication at Norwegian Research Information Repository