Anticipatory anxiety and participation in cancer screening. A systematic review

Belinda Goodwin; Laura Anderson; Katelyn Collins; Saira Sanjida; Marcos Riba; Gursharan K Singh; Kimberley M Campbell; Heather Green; Sana Ishaque; Alastair Kwok; Melissa J Opozda; Amy Pearn; Joanne Shaw; Ursula M Sansom-Daly; Joanna M Tsirgiotis; Monika Janda; Lisa Grech

doi:10.1002/pon.6238

Anticipatory anxiety and participation in cancer screening. A systematic review

Psychooncology. 2023 Dec;32(12):1773-1786. doi: 10.1002/pon.6238. Epub 2023 Nov 6.

Authors

Belinda Goodwin^{1

2

3}, Laura Anderson^{1

4}, Katelyn Collins^{1

5}, Saira Sanjida^{6

7}, Marcos Riba⁸, Gursharan K Singh^{9

10}, Kimberley M Campbell¹¹, Heather Green¹², Sana Ishaque¹³, Alastair Kwok^{14

15}, Melissa J Opozda^{16

17}, Amy Pearn¹⁸, Joanne Shaw¹⁹, Ursula M Sansom-Daly^{19

20

21}, Joanna M Tsirgiotis²², Monika Janda²³, Lisa Grech¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ Viertel Cancer Research Centre, Cancer Council Queensland, Fortitude Valley, Queensland, Australia.
² Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield, Queensland, Australia.
³ Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
⁵ School of Psychology and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield, Queensland, Australia.
⁶ Centre for Health Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁷ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁸ The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
⁹ Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
¹⁰ Cancer and Palliative Outcomes Centre, School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
¹¹ IMPACCT, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia.
¹² School of Applied Psychology and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
¹³ College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
¹⁴ Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
¹⁵ Department of Oncology, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
¹⁶ Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
¹⁷ College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
¹⁸ The Gene Council, North Perth, Washington, Australia.
¹⁹ Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
²⁰ School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine & Health, Randwick Clinical Campus, Discipline of Paediatrics, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia.
²¹ Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
²² Sydney Youth Cancer Centre, Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
²³ Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

PMID: 37929985
DOI: 10.1002/pon.6238

Abstract

Objectives: To synthesize current evidence on the association between anticipatory anxiety, defined as apprehension-specific negative affect that may be experienced when exposed to potential threat or uncertainty, and cancer screening to better inform strategies to maximize participation rates.

Methods: Searches related to cancer screening and anxiety were conducted in seven electronic databases (APA PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, PubMed, CINAHL), with potentially eligible papers screened in Covidence. Data extraction was conducted independently by multiple authors. Barriers to cancer screening for any type of cancer and relationships tested between anticipatory anxiety and cancer screening and intention were categorized and compared according to the form and target of anxiety and cancer types.

Results: A total of 74 articles (n_participants = 119,990) were included, reporting 103 relationships tested between anticipatory anxiety and cancer screening and 13 instances where anticipatory anxiety was reported as a barrier to screening. Anticipatory anxiety related to a possible cancer diagnosis was often associated with increased screening, while general anxiety showed no consistent relationship. Negative relationships were often found between anxiety about the screening procedure and cancer screening.

Conclusion: Anticipatory anxiety about a cancer diagnosis may promote screening participation, whereas a fear of the screening procedure could be a barrier. Public health messaging and primary prevention practitioners should acknowledge the appropriate risk of cancer, while engendering screening confidence and highlighting the safety and comfort of screening tests.

Keywords: anxiety; cancer; delivery of healthcare; early detection of cancer; oncology; patient acceptance of health care; prevention and control; screening.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Review

MeSH terms

Anxiety / diagnosis
Early Detection of Cancer*
Humans
Neoplasms* / diagnosis
Uncertainty

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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