Attitudes, willingness and factors associated with participation in Pap smear test among women in Ingiriy a MOH area

Abstract

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Objectives: To describe attitudes, willingness and factors associated with participation in Pap smear test (PST) f8Hnoig5®S^60 year old married women in Ingiriya MOH area. M^thorfsf A ' cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted to collect data using interviewer-administered quesfiprinakei/Gluster sampling technique was used to select participants from the gramasewa divisions of the seleCtetf^foft ^e'a. Ethical approval from the ethical review committee of Faculty of Medical Sciences and informed epnsent frqm the participants were obtained. Frequency distribution with percentages and chi square stetiSti#iv^-'caf^atM ^ing. SPSS version 21. Results: Of tffe^sampie (ri=456) orify 41.3% has had a PST done at least once. Most (73.1%) of the participants believed that cervical cancer is preventable if it is detected early through a PST. Findings of the attitudinal dispositions for PST revealed that negligence (58.7%) shyness (63%) and fear (52.7%) were the obstacles for participating PST. More than 93% participants were willing to participate in a PST. Having at least one PST was significantly related to age, OR=1.7 (95% Cl: 1.2-2.4); education level, OR=1.2 (95% Cl: 1.0-1.4) and current employment'Status, OR=1.2 (95% Cl: 1.0-1.4). Willingness to participate in a PST was associated with age, OR=5.9 (95% Cl: 2.3-15.2); marital status, OR=4.6 (95% Cl: 1.8-11.6) and level of education OR=2.1 (95% Cl: 1.0-4.1). Conclusions: Though most of the women were willing, negligence, shyness and fear were the main obstacles for participating in PST; Having at least one PST and willingness to participate in a screening program were significantly associated with age and education level of the participants.