Table 2 Men’s beliefs regarding anal cancer screening and willingness to undergo screening among men living with HIV attending HIV specialty care in 2016–2017 in the Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study (OCS) in Canada. Distribution of beliefs and willingness presented in the overall sample (n = 1677) and by past experience with anal cancer screening (not screened, n = 1006; screened, n = 671)
Negative/Neutral (N) | Positive (P) | Strongly Positive (SP) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Strongly Negative | Negative | Don’t Know | Neither | |||
Normative Beliefs | ||||||
“My doctor thinks that I should get an exam for anal cancer” | ||||||
Overall (n = 1677) | 2% | 24% | 29% | 14% | 25% | 6% |
No cytology or anoscopy (not screened, n = 1006) | 3% | 29% | 36% | 15% | 14% | 2% |
Has had cytology or anoscopy (screened, n = 671) | 2% | 18% | 17% | 12% | 40% | 12% |
“In general, people who are important to me would encourage me to get an exam for anal cancer” | ||||||
Overall (n = 1677) | 1% | 9% | 6% | 9% | 62% | 13% |
No cytology or anoscopy (not screened, n = 1006) | 1% | 10% | 8% | 11% | 59% | 11% |
Has had cytology or anoscopy (screened, n = 671) | 1% | 7% | 3% | 7% | 67% | 15% |
Self-efficacy Beliefs | ||||||
“I can find out where to go to get an exam for anal cancer” | ||||||
Overall (n = 1677) | < 1% | < 3% | 4% | 3% | 71% | 19% |
No cytology or anoscopy (not screened, n = 1006) | < 1% | < 5% | 5% | 4% | 70% | 16% |
Has had cytology or anoscopy (screened, n = 671) | 1% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 73% | 22% |
“I am confident that I could get an exam for anal cancer in the next year, if I chose to” | ||||||
Overall (n = 1677) | < 1% | 2% | 5% | 3% | 69% | 20% |
No cytology or anoscopy (not screened, n = 1006) | < 1% | < 4% | 7% | 5% | 68% | 17% |
Has had cytology or anoscopy (screened, n = 671) | < 1% | < 2% | 2% | 2% | 71% | 24% |
Behavioural Beliefs | ||||||
“I will feel pain during the procedure” | ||||||
Overall (n = 1677) | 2% | 21% | 11% | 14% | 45% | 6% |
No cytology or anoscopy (not screened, n = 1006) | 1% | 21% | 16% | 15% | 43% | 5% |
Has had cytology or anoscopy (screened, n = 671) | 4% | 21% | 4% | 14% | 49% | 9% |
“I have a high chance of getting unpleasant short- term side effects, like pain or bleeding, after the procedure” | ||||||
Overall (n = 1677) | 3% | 18% | 19% | 13% | 43% | 5% |
No cytology or anoscopy (not screened, n = 1006) | 2% | 13% | 25% | 15% | 42% | 4% |
Has had cytology or anoscopy (screened, n = 671) | 5% | 25% | 9% | 10% | 45% | 7% |
“If anal pre-cancer is found, I will be offered treatment” | ||||||
Overall (n = 1677) | < 1% | < 1% | 5% | < 2% | 73% | 20% |
No cytology or anoscopy (not screened, n = 1006) | < 1% | < 2% | 6% | 3% | 72% | 19% |
Has had cytology or anoscopy (screened, n = 671) | < 1% | < 2% | 2% | 1% | 73% | 23% |
Willingness to be screened | Very Unlikely | Unlikely | Undecided | Likely | Very Likely | |
Overall (n = 1677) | 2% | 3% | 5% | 46% | 44% | |
No cytology or anoscopy (not screened, n = 1006) | 2% | 4% | 6% | 49% | 38% | |
Has had cytology or anoscopy (screened, n = 671) | 2% | 2% | 2% | 41% | 53% | |