Patient Factors that Influence Timely Presentation to UK Primary Care in Adults with Symptoms Suggestive of Cancer: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objective: This scoping review aims to understand the currently available evidence on patient-related factors affecting the timeliness of presentation to UK primary care with symptoms suggestive of cancer. Introduction: Various patient factors, such as medical knowledge, or previous healthcare experiences, can influence whether a person with symptoms suggestive of cancer will present to primary care. Identifying these factors will aid in understanding the possible causes of delayed cancer diagnosis. Inclusion criteria: Studies reporting patient-related factors impacting timely presentation to UK primary care with cancer symptoms will be included. Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (PQDT) will be searched for articles from June 2015 to December 2023. Only papers with free full text available in English will be included. Studies identified in the initial search results will be screened independently by two authors for eligibility against inclusion criteria. Selected studies will be imported to NVivo for analysis of the full text. Results will be presented under subheadings based on the themes identified in the analysis.