Non-compliance with cancer screening requirements varies based on the type of screening involved.

Ami E. Sedani, Ph.D., M.P.H. from the University of Texas at Houston, along with colleagues, investigated the relationship between individual-level social risks and the refusal of doctor-recommended cancer screenings as part of a cross-sectional study utilizing data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for 2022 across 39 U.S. states.

The analysis included 147,922 individuals, representing a weighted sample of 78,784,149 adult residents of the United States. Researchers found that the reluctance to undergo cervical cancer screening (CCS) and breast cancer screening (BCS) was linked to dissatisfaction with life. A lack of support from close individuals led to the unwillingness to undergo colorectal cancer screening (CRS) in both men and women, as well as reluctance to participate in BCS among women. Feelings of loneliness were associated with refusal to undergo CRS in women and the unwillingness to participate in BCS.

In instances of noncompliance with the need for BCS, a correlation with significant emotional distress was also observed.

A lack of food security was associated with an increased risk of refusing CRS in both men and women, as well as declining CCS and BCS in women. Similar trends were noted regarding lung cancer screening (LCS), although the findings were not statistically significant.

A lack of confidence in transportation was linked to noncompliance with CRS in women (but not in men) and reluctance toward BCS, while an increased risk of noncompliance with CRS in both men and women, noncompliance with LCS in women, and noncompliance with BCS was seen in connection with financial barriers to healthcare access.

“Further research targeting specific population groups is necessary to implement effective interventions, as social risks do not always align with the social needs of patients,” the authors write.