Informed participation in population based screening programmes requires an explicit sharing of information about risks and benefits.
Many factors influence perceptions of risk and the value of risk reduction.
However, little attention has been paid to these issues and to their possible impact on the population to be screened. A pre-pilot survey was undertaken on a sample of women to identify their information needs for cervical and breast screening. In addition, qualitative interviews on a stratified sample of adults aged eighteen and above were undertaken. They will be used to inform a survey of a representative sample of the population to develop understanding of the information required to support informed participation in screening programmes. The results will be tested in an intervention study in which this information is offered to a group of women selected at random who have been invited for breast screening.