Factors Related to Pap Smear Screening Behaviors of Women at Municipality Suphanburi Province

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors related to Pap smear screening behaviors of women in the Municipality of Suphanburi Province. There were 353 women aged 30-60 years participated in this study. The data were collected by using a set of questionnaire; and were analyzed by statistical techniques including percentage, mean, standard deviation, and chi-square test. It was found that almost seven in ten of the participants used to get Pap smear screening; and more than half of them wanted to get another screening in 2011. 28.3% of the women had good and very good levels of knowledge regarding cervical cancer,47.9% had good attitude toward cervical cancer screening, 73.7% received enabling factors at good level, and half of the sample received reinforcing factors at moderate level. The factors associated with Pap smear screening behavior were age, marriage status, pregnancy frequency, attitude, receiving enabling factors, and unusual leukorrhea history (p<0.05). However, education, main occupation, abortion history, family history of cervical cancer, abnormality of gynecological examination, cervical cancer knowledge and receiving reinforcing factors were not associated with Pap smear screening. This study suggested that one stop services should be provided in the hospital and mobile cancer screening services should be provided in the community.