Attitudes Towards Cervical Cancer Screening

A Study of Beliefs Among Women in Mexico

Abstract

Pap smear testing continues to be the single most effective tool in reducing deaths due to cervical cancer (Watkins, Gabali, Winkleby, Gaona & Lebaron, 2002). Despite the creation of a national cervical cancer screening program, more than 4,000 women die every year in Mexico from this disease. This study explored the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Mexican women regarding cervical cancer screening, and identified beliefs and barriers that may influence cervical health. All analyses compared women who had ever had a Pap test in their lives (“ever”) with women who had never had a Pap test (“never”). In bivariate analyses, the following variables were significantly associated (p<0.05) with ever having a Pap test at least once in their life: being given information on Pap test by their doctor, number of pregnancies, knowing someone who has been diagnosed with cervical cancer, education level, age, and type of healthcare facility used most often. The surprisingly high rate of ever screening in this sample (85%) was an unexpected finding in this study. More research is needed in order to understand the cultural beliefs and screening behaviors of this unique population. Future interventions must address the barriers cited by the women in our sample by tailoring interventions specifically to Mexican women and their belief system.