Understanding Gastric Cancer Screening in Low Health Literacy Groups: Insights from Belgium, the Netherlands & Romania
T. Groen*,
M. van Loo,
N. Kapteijn,
R. Farcas,
W. van de Veerdonk and
J. Takens*: corresponding author
Published on:
June 30, 2026
Abstract
Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer globally. In Europe, no organised screening programme exists for its prevention. Vulnerable groups, such as migrants and people with low health literacy, are at increased risk due to limited healthcare access, lower screening participation, language barriers, socioeconomic challenges, and higher exposure to risk factors. However, reaching these populations and effectively communicating available information remains difficult. It is thus crucial to involve vulnerable groups from the outset of interventions. In collaboration with instructors from literacy and skills education centres, Thomas More co-developed focus group discussions on health literacy, prevention, and screening. These discussions, conducted with low health literacy migrant populations in 3 countries, assess motivations, risk perceptions, and intentions regarding gastric cancer screening. In addition, the sessions aim to enhance knowledge and understanding of health behaviours and screening invitations. This study is part of TOGAS, an EU4Health project that provides evidence-based insights for developing screening approaches and recommendations for gastric cancer guidelines.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22323/1.524.0032
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