Knowledge about Cervical Cancer and Pap Smear and the Factors Influencing the Pap test Screening among Women.
Hossein Ashtarian, Elaheh Mirzabeigi, Elham Mahmoodi and 1 others
PMID 28409172WHAT IT FOUND
Among 355 Iranian women, higher Pap smear knowledge was linked to ever having a Pap test.
Lack of awareness was the biggest barrier; provider, family and friend advice was the strongest facilitator.
Key findings
0150.4% of women had ever had a Pap test, and demographic variables were not significantly related to screening.
02In the final model, Pap test knowledge had the highest predictive power for Pap test performance (OR=1.639).
03Lack of awareness was the main barrier to Pap testing (44.3%), while provider, friend and family recommendation was the most important facilitator.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used self-report questionnaires, so Pap test history and knowledge were not verified from records. Because it was cross-sectional, it cannot show that higher knowledge caused women to have Pap tests. The sample was limited to married women aged 18 to 49 years covered by an urban health centre in one Iranian city. The paper reported no significant relationship between demographic variables and Pap testing, while age was a predictor in the logistic model. Only 355 completed questionnaires were analysed out of 384 selected.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that giving women more information will make them attend Pap screening. This was a cross-sectional survey of self-reported knowledge and screening history, so it shows an association, not a tested cause.