301287
Cervical cancer prevention beliefs and screening behaviors among low-income women in the United States
Methods: We used Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS4, Cycle 2) data collected between October 2012 and January 2013 (n=3,630). Males (n=1,390) and females >133% federal poverty (2014) guidelines (n=1,835) were excluded. This cutoff was based on the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion eligibility criteria. Females diagnosed with cervical cancer (n=8) and observations with missing data (n=295) were also excluded. Stata/IC 13 was used to perform cross-tabulations and multivariate linear regression analyses on weighted data.
Results: Our sample included 102 low-income women (all Internet users; mean age(years)=38.1±3.6(SE)). One-third (33%) were minority (13% non-Hispanic African American/20% Latina) and 47% had ≤high school education. Most (90%) talked to friends/ family members about their health and 73% had a Pap test <5 years ago. Some (43%) believed the Pap test was “very successful” at detecting cervical cancer at early stages. A few (15%) believed the HPV vaccine is “very successful” at preventing cervical cancer. Pap test use was significantly associated with: looking for cancer information online (p=0.05); sharing health information with friends/family members (p=0.03); Pap test (p=0.04)/HPV vaccine (p<0.01) beliefs.
Conclusions: Effective health communication strategies can produce positive cervical cancer prevention beliefs and promote Pap test/HPV vaccine use. The relationship between health/cancer information seeking/sharing, cervical cancer prevention beliefs and Pap test/HPV vaccine use among low-income women warrants further study.
Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health educationPlanning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Learning Objectives:
Explain new cervical cancer screening recommendations.
Describe the cancer care continuum.
Identify common failures that occur along the cervical cancer care continuum.
Describe cervical cancer prevention beliefs among low-income women in the United States.
Describe Pap test use among low-income women in the United States.
Examine the relationship between cancer prevention beliefs and utilization of cancer care services among low-income women in the United States.
Keyword(s): Cancer Prevention and Screening, Cancer and Women’s Health
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal or co-principal investigator of research projects focused on cervical cancer prevention and control efforts aimed at vulnerable populations. My research program is focused on reducing cervical and other HPV-related cancer disparities among vulnerable populations via the development of effective health education and communication strategies. I am also interested in gaining a better understanding of the social context of interpersonal and patient-provider communication among vulnerable populations.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.