Factors Affecting Cervical Cancer Screening Behaviors Based On the Precaution Adoption Process Model: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

One of the most preventable cancers in women is cervical cancer. Pap smear test is an effective screening program; however, it is not conducted very frequently. The aim of this study is explaining the determinants affecting women’s participation in the Pap smear test based on precaution adoption process model with a qualitative approach. This study was a qualitative approach using a Directed Content Analysis methodology which was conducted in 2014. Participants were 30 rural women who participated in this study voluntarily in sarvabad, Iran. Purposive sampling was initiated and continued until data saturation. Semi-structured interviews were the primary method of data collection. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and continuous comparisons. Women`s information and awareness about cervical cancer and Pap smear is insufficient and most of them believed that they were not at risk; however, they perceived the severity of the disease. Some of them had no adequate understanding of the test benefits. They pointed to the lack of time, financial difficulties, fear of test result and lack of awareness as the main barriers against the Pap smear test; however, they did not say that they were not willing to do the test. Findings could help health policy makers to find the right area and purpose to facilitate the participation of women in the Pap smear test.

The role of knowledge, risk perceptions and cues to action among Iranian women concerning cervical cancer and screening: A qualitative exploration

“…Secondly, our results revealed that many women held inaccurate risk perceptions concerning CC. The women in our sample overestimated the role of heredity; similar to ndings in other studies in Iran (27,36) and other countries (53)(54)(55), which is challenging, since the role of genetic causes of CC is still not clear (56), The vast majority of women reported low perceived risk and susceptibility regarding CC, ndings also reported in other studies (33,34,37,53). We found that women regarded themselves at risk concerning STIs; however, they had poor understanding of the purpose of CCS.…”

Low level of awareness among Iranian women concerning cervical cancer and screening: the role of knowledge, risk perceptions and cues to action

“…Secondly, our results revealed that many women held inaccurate risk perceptions concerning CC. The women in our sample overestimated the role of heredity; similar to findings in other studies in Iran (27,36) and other countries (52)(53)(54), which is challenging, since the role of genetic causes of CC is still not clear (55), The vast majority of women reported low perceived risk and susceptibility regarding CC, findings also reported in other studies (33,34,37,52). We found that women regarded themselves at risk concerning STIs; however, they had poor understanding of the purpose of CCS.…”

“…Differences between STI and cervical cancer management measures and interventions were not clear for women. Other national and international studies also reported a lack of sufficient knowledge about CC, a gap in identifying risk factors and causes of cancer, a lack of recognizing the cervix, and differentiating between STIs and cervical cancer (27,36,51). In addition to comprehensiveness of data and corroborating previous findings regarding women's knowledge of CC and CC testing, the current study sheds light on the importance of establishing explicit knowledge and the role of detailed health education.…”

“…The newly established strategy in Iran needs some regulation for developing proper health communication and promotion interventions in order to improve and retain attendance in CCS. A first step is to create awareness among women in Iran concerning the availability and need for CCS, and the efficacy of screening, which appears to be important as studies showed a lack of this awareness (36,37). Awareness of CC and screening is a prerequisite for motivating attendance and also acknowledged as an essential phase preceding motivation in behavior change models, such as the Integrated-Change Model (I-Change) (38) predicting health behaviors such as participation in screening programs (34).…”

The Effect of Training Based on Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM) on Rural Females’ Participation in Pap smear

“…It must be pointed that all subjects entered the study with their willingness. Diagnostic evaluation of females, according to the qualitative study was conducted by the research team, based on precaution adoption process, where all factors affecting the Pap smear-based psychological variables influencing the model using the interview were performed three months after the intervention, again the necessary information from the two groups were collected and analyzed [9].…”