Help-seeking for Post-menopausal bleeding symptoms
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Help-seeking for symptoms of potential gynaecological cancer: A post menopausal bleeding comparative mixed methods study of obese and normal weight. PHASE 1: Help-seeking for post-menopausal bleeding symptoms: A Questionnaire study. PHASE 2: Help-seeking for post-menopausal bleeding symptoms: An IPA study of obese women.
IRAS ID
142294
Contact name
Sara Tookey
Contact email
Research summary
The purpose of this project is to document the process of help-seeking for symptoms of post-menopausal bleeding (PMB) and to identify factors that may predict early/delayed help-seeking behaviours. The participant sample will have experienced symptoms of PMB; an episode of bleeding twelve months or more after last menstrual period (SIGN, 2002), and will have been referred to PMB specialist services for suspicion gynaecological cancer. Obese women have been identified as potentially high-risk in PMB and endometrial cancer (Feldman, Cook, Harlow & Berkowitz, 1995). Therefore, further aim of the study is to compare predictors of prompt help-seeking amongst obese and non-obese women. Help-seeking is a complex and multidimensional process and will be investigated in a mixed method approach, consisting of 2 phases studying two populations in one study.
Phase 1: Help-seeking for PMB symptoms: A questionnaire study. This is a questionnaire study which aims to identify predictors of prompt or delayed help-seeking among a sample of 250 women recruited from PMB clinics. Questions will examine illness perceptions, body image perception and satisfaction, body size and weight, demographics and cultural integration factors, social capital and how this relates to help-seeking. The questionnaire pack will also allow the documentation of general help-seeking processes (i.e. identifying time to medical help-seeking from recognition of symptom(s), symptom cognitions & actions taken prior to medical help-seeking). Women from Phase 1 will be asked if they want to be opted into Phase 2.
Phase 2: Help-seeking for post-menopausal bleeding symptoms: An IPA investigation of obese women. This study will involve interviewing 10 morbidly obese women. This involves an in-depth qualitative interview method to explore the experience of help-seeking and unique weight-related barriers experienced amongst morbidly obese women with PMB symptoms.
Please see Appendix 1 for List of Abbreviations and Appendix 2 for detailed variable descriptions.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/WM/0117
Date of REC Opinion
19 May 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion