Improving the quality of communication in organised cervical cancer screening programmes

Objective: To provide health professionals involved in cervical cancer screening with an insight into the complex issues relating to communication about screening and to provide a framework for a more effective communication strategy. Methods: This paper has been compiled by a multidisciplinary pan-European group of health professionals and cancer advocates from several European screening programmes. European surveys on screening communication, literature reviews and group discussion were used for this purpose. Results: Information on cervical screening must be accessible, relevant, comprehensible, comprehensive, client-centred, phase-specific and multilevel. An effective communication strategy should consider health professionals' screening knowledge and their communication skills, consumers' health literacy skills and the communication needs of specific sub-groups in the target population. Co-operation between screening professionals, advocacy groups and journalists should be promoted. Conclusion: To communicate effectively and appropriately is a complex task which can be influenced by a number of factors. Screening workers need better information themselves and must take into account the needs and characteristics of the target population. Practice implications: This document should provide a useful tool to help screening professionals in designing and developing good quality and effective communication strategies. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.