Providers’ constructions of the role of women in cervical cancer screening in Bulgaria and Romania

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) Vol. 63; no. 3; pp. 776 - 787
• Main Authors: Todorova, Irina L.G., Baban, Adriana, Balabanova, Dina, Panayotova, Yulia, Bradley, Janet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2006; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Series: Social Science & Medicine
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel - ethnology; Biological and medical sciences; Bulgaria; Bulgaria - epidemiology; Cancer; Cervical cancer; Cervical cancer screening; Culture; Eastern Europe; Eastern Europe Cervical cancer screening Providers' perspectives Bulgaria Romania; Female; Female genital diseases; Gender Identity; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Health care; Health care policy; Health Care Reform; Health Education; Health Research; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Mass Screening; Medical sciences; Medical screening; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Patient Participation; Physician-Patient Relations; Prevention; Providers’ perspectives; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Reform; Reforms; Responsibility; Role perceptions; Romania; Romania - epidemiology; Screening; Social Responsibility; Tumors; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - ethnology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - mortality; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - prevention & control; Women; Women's health; Women's Health - ethnology; Women's role; Womens Health Care; Romania; Bulgaria; Eastern Europe; Europe; Providers’ perspectives; Cervical cancer screening; Romania; Bulgaria; Eastern Europe; Human; Malignant tumor; Medical screening; Female genital diseases; Female; Social medicine; Woman; Uterine cervix diseases; Social aspect; Cervical cancer; Public health; Providers' perspectives
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2006.01.032

The social and institutional context of health-care reform in Eastern Europe has important implications for cervical cancer screening and prevention. The incidence and mortality from cervical cancer in Bulgaria and Romania have risen, which is in sharp contrast to the steady decline in most other countries in Europe during the last 2 decades. To analyze these dynamics we conducted a multi-component study of health systems and psychosocial aspects of cervical cancer screening in Bulgaria and Romania. Following the disappearance of organized preventive programs, the initiative for cervical cancer screening has shifted to providers and clients and depends on the way they perceive their responsibility and interpret their own and each other's roles in prevention. We focus on how providers construct women and their role in prevention of cervical cancer through their accounts. The analysis identified several discourses and themes in providers’ constructions of women's responsibility for prevention of disease. These include responsible women as ‘intelligent’ and ‘cultured’; non-attenders as ‘irresponsible’ and ‘negligent’; women as needing monitoring and sanctioning; and women as ‘victims’ of health-care reform. We discuss the implications for health-care reform and health promotion.