Influences on Polish migrants' breast screening uptake in Lothian, Scotland

Ethnic minorities are known to have low uptake of cancer screening programmes and Polish populations to have low breast screening uptake. Breast screening uptake by women in Poland and Polish migrants to Scotland is low. We interviewed Polish women living in Lothian, Scotland, about their attitudes to breast screening.

Telephone interviews were held with a sample of 11 Polish women registered with Lothian general practices and invited for breast screening in 2013 or 2014. Interviews were between November 2014 and February 2015 and were held in Polish then translated, transcribed and analysed thematically.

Women interviewed (mean age 58 years) had lived in Scotland for an average of 7.5 years. Seven had undergone breast screening in both Poland and Scotland, three in only Scotland and one in Poland alone. Respondents usually used Scottish and Polish health systems and screening programmes in parallel. Convenience and familiarity shaped screening choices with written information neither accessed nor answering key questions e.g. about coordination between programmes.

Polish women living in Scotland have difficulties in accessing screening there and often use both Polish and Scottish system. Language issues, misunderstandings about screening and different health cultures are key barriers. Combined information in Polish about all cancer screening programmes could help address low uptake.