‘I don’t know when it’s my turn’: reasons for low uptake of cancer-related healthcare services in Germany

TL;DR

This study explores why people in Germany don't use cancer screening and treatment services, finding that lack of information and awareness are major barriers.

Contribution

The study identifies specific barriers to cancer healthcare utilization in Germany, emphasizing the role of information gaps and awareness.

Findings

Lack of awareness and absence of reminders were the most common reasons for not attending cancer screenings.

Barriers included time constraints, administrative bureaucracy, fear of bad news, and communication difficulties with practitioners.

Tailored interventions addressing systemic, personal, and social factors are needed to improve screening participation.

Abstract

Participation rates in early cancer detection and follow-up cancer related healthcare services are lower than anticipated in many high-income countries. Germany also provides a variety of these services free-of-charge under its highly subsidized public healthcare system. This qualitative study aimed to determine the barriers perceived or experienced by service users in Germany against utilizing cancer screenings and treatment services.

A semi-structured interview protocol was developed based on current literature and in consultation with stakeholders in cancer-related professions. The interviews aimed at exploring the underlying reasons for underutilization of cancer prevention or treatment services. Interviews were conducted from a pool of respondents (N = 57) from an earlier phase of the study based on voluntary response sampling. All interviews were transcribed verbatim from audio recordings and transcripts were processed in MAXQDA 2022. Two authors analyzed the qualitative data using hybrid inductive-deductive coding methodology described by Udo Kuckartz.

Overall 23 interviews were conducted. The participants included 13 current or former cancer patients and 10 non-patients [male = 14, female = 9; mean age = 58.65 years (SD = 13.79)]. Lack of awareness and absence of reminders emerged as the most common reason for not attending cancer screenings or treatment services. Most participants described lack of information regarding the availability or timing of the recommended screenings as their main reasons. Other predominant barriers against accessing cancer-related healthcare services were associated with time constraints and work responsibilities, unavailability of physicians and appointments, administrative bureaucracy, fear of negative news, pain or side-effects, low personal relevance, norms of gendered behavior, feelings of shame and insecurity, and communication difficulties with practitioners.

Most pertinent barriers were rooted in lack of information and awareness about existing cancer-related healthcare services among participants. Our findings suggest that tailored interventions that address systemic, personal and social factors are essential for improving screening uptake. A proactive approach by healthcare personnel and health insurance companies for providing concise and timely information on cancer-related offers to service users is recommended to improve participation rates.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-23656-6.