Vnitr Lek 2022, 68(8):E12-E17 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2022.116

How to convince a patient refusing colonoscopy - a qualitative study

Jan Brož¹, Timea Debnárová¹, Svatava Krejčová², Alexandra Romanová¹, Jana Urbanová³, Lucie Samková¹, Barbora Pelechová¹, Barbora Prýmková¹, Ondřej Hloch¹, Pavlína Krollová¹, Ludmila Brunerová³, Veronika Vejtasová⁴, Anna Frühaufová⁵, Juraj Michalec¹, Iva Hoffmanová¹, Dita Pichlerová¹, Jan Šťovíček¹, Radan Keil¹

¹ Interní klinika 2. LF UK a FN v Motole, Praha

² Oddělení klinické psychologie FN v Motole, Praha

³ Interní klinika 3. LF UK a FNKV, Praha

⁴ Kardiologická klinika 2. LF UK a FN v Motole, Praha

⁵ Odd. primární péče FN v Motole, Praha

The available literature suggests that the most significant barriers to undergoing colonoscopy in general include "fear of pain and discomfort", "fear of bowel preparation", as well as directly unrelated influences such as "lack of support from family and friends", "busy family and work schedules", "other health problems" and the current "fear of getting COVID-19 in hospital". A marital union may play a positive role, previous cancer a negative one. Another important factor is that patients are not used to talking about their barriers spontaneously; a guided conversation is a useful tool. Respondents in this qualitative study addressed these barriers as significant in their answers.

Keywords: colonoscopy, colorectal cancer, screening, fear, pain.

Accepted: December 13, 2022; Published: December 6, 2022  Show citation