Heidi Lyshol

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I 2014 gjennomførte Folkehelseinstituttet brukerundersøkelser blant kommunale brukere av folkehelseprofilene og statistikkbankene Kommunehelsa og Norgeshelsa. Denne artikkelen forteller om gjennomføringen av brukerundersøkelsene, resultatene og hvordan resultatene ble brukt i videreutvikling av profiler og statistikkbanker.

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ABSTRACT Introduction: Breast cancer is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among women. Immigrants in Norway have lower rates of breast cancer, but cancers are diagnosed at a later stage, giving worse prognosis and higher mortality rates. The aim of this study is to shed light on breast screening programmes in Europe to see if women from all ethnic groups have access to and whether they participate in screening programmes. Methods: A questionnaire was prepared regarding breast cancer screening, including special considerations for immigrant women. Contacts at European cancer screening programmes in UK, Austria, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and France were interviewed in semi-structured phone interviews. Results: Population based breast cancer screening programmes were available free of charge in six countries, with a co-payment in Norway. Screening invitations were written in the countries’ main language. The participation rate in the UK, Austria, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and France varied between 72% and 87%, independent of the percentage of immigrants in the country. Immigrant women were thought to show a lower participation rate in all national screening programmes, though some countries work through immigrant organizations to reach more women from these groups. Conclusion: To reach all eligible women, a combined approach, adapted to the target population to ensure that all women have the same chance for early diagnosis and life-saving treatment, is needed. Breast cancer screening should be free of charge. Funding: No external funding.