Cervical Cancer Screening Behavior Research Articles

Perceptions of cervical cancer and Pap smear screening behavior by women's sexual orientation.

This study examined 330 adult females' perceptions and practices regarding cervical cancer by sexual orientation. Ninety-four percent of respondents were unable to correctly identify all 5 risk factors associated with increased risk for cervical cancer (smoking, sexual intercourse with men, multiple male sexual partners, sexual intercourse before age 16, and having genital warts) regardless of sexual orientation. Furthermore, 20% were not able to identify any of the 5 risk factors for cervical cancer. Lesbians perceived themselves to be less susceptible to cervical cancer than heterosexuals or bisexuals even though 79% of lesbians had sexual intercourse with a male. Eight percent of the respondents believed that most women who develop cervical cancer die from the disease. The main barriers identified by non-regular Pap screeners (N = 127) were: no health insurance (33%), forgetting to get a pap test (32%), and not liking to get a Pap test (31%). Three-fourths (75%) have had a Pap test within the last 2 years and planned to continue having them on a regular basis. The results of this survey indicate that there is considerable room for improvement in knowledge, perceptions, and practices of all women, regardless of sexual orientation, regarding cervical cancer.

Factors affecting cervical cancer screening behavior among Cambodian women in Houston, Tex

Factors affecting cervical cancer screening behavior among Cambodian women in Houston, Tex

Increased Cancer Screening Behavior in Women of Color by Culturally Sensitive Video Exposure

Background. Electronic media have demonstrated efficacy in increasing knowledge and promoting health-protective behavior among individuals at high risk for chronic disease. In "Stimulating Cancer Screening among Women of Color through Video" (A. K. Yancey and L. Walden, 1994, J Cancer Educ 9:46-52) the development of a cost-effective documentary format for culturally sensitive health education videos was described. These videos could not be independently evaluated within the cancer control program for which they were developed. Methods. A quasi-experimental study design tested the hypothesis that exposure to these videos increases cervical cancer screening behavior among samples of women from two clinic populations of predominantly low-income African-Americans and Latinos in New York City and Los Angeles. A 1-week-on-1-week-off design was utilized, in which the videos were continuously displayed in designated waiting rooms during on (intervention) weeks, with each facility serving as its own control during off weeks. Results. The proportion of women seen as patients during the intervention weeks who subsequently obtained Pap smears was significantly higher than that of those seen during the control weeks at each site (P < 0.05). Conclusions. Culturally sensitive videos displayed in waiting rooms may be useful in health promotion efforts in communities of color. The similarity of results in both clinic sites suggests that Spanish-language tapes may be constructed to appeal to Latinos of different nationalities.

Factors associated with cervical cancer screening behavior among Vietnamese women.

The purpose of this study was to gather information on the prevalence of pap smear testing among Vietnamese women and to identify predictive factors that influence women to engage in early cervical cancer detection behavior. One hundred and forty-one (141) Vietnamese women ages 18 years and older and living in Western Massachusetts were surveyed by telephone. The overall socioeconomic status of these women was low. Survey results showed that among these women, the use of pap tests was lower than for the U.S. female population in general. Approximately one-half of the respondents reported having had a pap smear. Bivariate and multivariate methods, including logistic regression, were used to analyze the differences between users and nonusers. Bivariate analysis revealed that age, marital status, number of children, religion, regular physician care, and income were significantly related to a prior pap smear experience. The multivariate model for pap test included: age, income, length of residence in the U.S., and marital status. Compared to women who had never had a pap test, women who had were older, married, had higher incomes, and lived in the U.S. longer. It was concluded that this model is useful for screening cancer behavior in Vietnamese women 18 years and older and living in Western Massachusetts, but, in general, should not be used as a cancer screening tool in other populations, at least until similar assessments have been done for these populations.

Community intervention. Creating opportunities and support for cancer control behaviors.

Much of the potential for reducing cancer mortality is dependent on the adoption of new behavioral patterns. Such changes demand application of the behavioral-social sciences. A shift from univariate reductionist models of causation toward multivariate systems models is needed. Decisions (and behavior) are the focus of much of the behavioral-social sciences. Determinants of decisions are delimited by controlling systems. Health care is only one of many possible influences on controlling systems, and its influence is only marginal for the behavior of the general public. Thus, community interventions that address multiple determinants within controlling systems are needed to influence most behaviors. Belief saliency hierarchies appear to psychologically mediate controlling systems. Changes in these saliency hierarchies lead to changes in behaviors. Person-valued beliefs, social-valued beliefs, and feasibility beliefs serve as the informational basis for the hierarchies. Needs activation is a primary means by which hierarchies shift. Changing environmental cues and signals also impart such shifts. Experience, persuasive communication, and value extracted from the environment also change hierarchies. Needs activation, community presence, persuasive communication, facilitation, inhibition, and experience-based interventions are discussed for tobacco use control, dietary change, and breast and cervical cancer screening behavior. Emphasis is given to how the health care system can become a part of the controlling system that influences community behavior. Issues concerning successful implementation of community education programs are raised.