Primary Care Providers’ Attitudes and Experiences Recommending Cancer Screening to Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

Genevieve Breau, Interdisciplinary Oncology Program, Faculty of Medicine
Coach House, Green College, UBC
Monday, October 5, 8-9 pm

in the series
Green College Resident Members' Series

Recently, researchers have demonstrated that individuals with Intellectual Disabilities receive breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening at significantly lower rates in comparison to the general population. This finding is problematic, as other researchers have demonstrated that if cancer is detected early through screening it is easier and less expensive to treat, and is frequently more curable.

The reasons why individuals with Intellectual Disabilities receive cancer screening at significantly lower rates is poorly understood. In her doctoral dissertation, Genevieve is examining family physicians’, family practice residents’, and nurse practitioner students’ attitudes and experiences concerning recommending cancer screening to individuals with Intellectual Disabilities.

In her talk, Genevieve will present her findings, including how participants have negative attitudes towards individuals with Intellectual Disabilities—which decreases the likelihood that they would recommend screening to hypothetical patients. By understanding physicians’ and residents’ reluctance to recommend cancer screening to this group, educational interventions to increase physicians’ recommendations for cancer screening to patients with Intellectual Disabilities can be developed and delivered, ultimately increasing individuals with Intellectual Disabilities’ cancer screening participation.