Help-seeking for potential symptoms of gynaecological cancer amongst obese women: a mixed methods study

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing some gynaecological cancers, and delayed help-seeking. The thesis aims were to identify factors predictive of delayed help-seeking for women seeking help for potential symptoms of gynaecological cancers, particularly looking at the role of obesity on time to help-seeking. Qualitative and exploratory research further investigated health beliefs and help-seeking attitudes of women experiencing gynaecological cancer symptoms and built a framework for understanding women’s complex journeys toward medical help-seeking. Additionally, the research assessed for differences in time to help-seeking and cancer awareness across groups with varying body mass indexes (BMIs) and different ethnic groups. Findings suggested that women have a limited awareness of gynaecological cancers, nevertheless, low awareness of gynaecological cancers was not associated with help-seeking delay. Thesis studies showed that obese women were not more likely to delay help-seeking when compared to non-obese women, and that attendance at preventative screenings was a predictor of delayed help-seeking. In conclusion the thesis provided an understanding of the often-complex transition through the menopause and challenged assumptions in the literature about the association between obesity, help-seeking and preventative screenings. Future research should further explore the complex relationship between BMI and help-seeking for gynaecological cancer symptoms