Cervical cancer screening beliefs among young Hispanic women
| Autor: | Theresa L. Byrd, Andrea L. Heckert, Susan K. Peterson, Rafaelita Chavez |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2004 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
medicine.medical_specialty Health Knowledge Attitudes Practice Epidemiology media_common.quotation_subject Uterine Cervical Neoplasms Birth control Cancer screening medicine Health belief model Humans Pap test media_common Cervical cancer Vaginal Smears medicine.diagnostic_test business.industry Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Hispanic or Latino medicine.disease Texas Acculturation Educational attainment Cross-Sectional Studies Logistic Models Family medicine Physical therapy Educational Status Female business Seriousness |
| Zdroj: | Preventive medicine. 38(2) |
| ISSN: | 0091-7435 |
| Popis: | Objectives. This study examined beliefs, attitudes, and personal characteristics that correlated with self-reported cervical cancer screening history among Hispanic women aged 18 to 25 years old in El Paso, TX, a large metropolitan area on the U.S.–Mexico border. Methods. Data were collected through a cross-sectional, face-to-face survey. The study questionnaire was based primarily on the Health Belief Model, and included scales that measured perceived susceptibility and seriousness of cervical cancer, and perceived benefits and barriers to Pap test screening. The study questionnaire also included measures of acculturation, Pap test history, pregnancy and sexual history, use of birth control, type of medical insurance, and educational attainment. Results. Sixty-nine percent reported ever having had a Pap test and 56% reported having had a test in the past year. Eighty percent reported that they were sexually active, and of these, 63% reported using birth control. Respondents understood the seriousness of cervical cancer, their susceptibility to cervical cancer, and the benefits of Pap testing; however, only 61% agreed that most young women whom they know have Pap tests. Greater acculturation and the belief that most young unmarried women have Pap tests were positively associated with ever having screening. The perception that the test would be painful and not knowing where to go for the test were negatively associated with ever having a Pap test. Conclusions. This study found suboptimal rates of screening for cervical cancer in a sample of young Hispanic women residing along the U.S.–Mexico border. Although women may understand the seriousness of cervical cancer and the benefits of screening, perceptions about Pap tests may pose barriers to undergoing screening. Efforts to increase screening also may need to focus specifically on women who are least acculturated, as they also were least likely to have had prior Pap tests. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
Full Text from ScienceDirect