A team from Leeds Beckett University, led by Dr Patricia Holsch, have developed a mixed-methods feasibility study to assist the development of a university trial to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of gynaecological cancers.
Gynaecological cancer affects both younger and older women, and people with gynae organs, and early detection is the key to improving outcomes. But, awareness of symptoms is low. The key to detecting cancer early is lifelong awareness, where people have an understanding of the signs and symptoms, are looking out for them and any changes to their body, and going to medical professionals to get checked. In this study young women at university will be given either an intervention to improve their awareness, or a control. The intervention is an online gynaecological cancer awareness film and behaviour change tool. Cancer awareness and how they plan to check themselves for any symptoms will be checked just after the video and at 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months later. If this project is successful, it will hopefully be rolled out in universities across the UK. Ultimately, this work will hopefully empower young women to be aware of and seek help for symptoms of gynaecological cancer for the rest of their lives.