A qualitative study exploring factors associated with Pap test use among North Korean refugees.
Kyounghae Kim, Soohyun Kim, Yoonkyung Chung
PMID 28799850WHAT IT FOUND
North Korean refugee women described Pap test use as shaped by unclear screening information, embarrassment with male providers, and cost worries, while free biennial screening and family encouragement helped them attend.
Key findings
01North Korean refugee women's Pap test use was affected by barriers and facilitators at individual, interpersonal, community and system levels.
02Many women were screened after arrival but remained unclear about cervical cancer and Pap tests, and most did not feel a need for preventive care.
03A female provider and free screening helped some women overcome barriers, while embarrassment and possible male providers deterred others.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only eight female interview participants were analysed for Pap test use, so the themes cannot be assumed to represent all North Korean refugee women. The parent study excluded refugees with acute or terminal illness or psychiatric conditions, so experiences of women with those conditions are not represented. The study did not determine data saturation specifically for Pap test behaviours, so additional themes may exist. Participants lived in Central Seoul and had lived in South Korea for an average of 5.8 years, so findings may not apply to newly arrived or rural women. Two of the eight women had never received a Pap test, so their accounts may be theoretical rather than based on screening experience. The study is qualitative and does not show that any intervention, including education or navigation, changes Pap test use.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not report funding sources or author conflicts of interest. The parent study was conducted in collaboration with Global Together, a non-profit organization working with North Korean refugees.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that education or navigation will increase Pap test use. The study describes perceptions of eight women and did not test an intervention.