Women and preventive health care: an exploratory study of the use of Pap smears in a potentially high-risk Appalachian population.
In the United States, medical services are organized to provide acute and chronic care. In such a system, people may not receive the routine preventive care necessary for the maintenance of their health. This study, conducted in the model family practice clinic of a residency training program, reports on the use of a preventive health measure (i.e., Pap smears) in a potentially high-risk population. The odds of receiving the Pap smear were calculated for selected variables for 253 patients. The most important variables for distinguishing the outcome (Pap/no Pap) were age and the medical reason for the visit. Although there was some indication that high-risk women were targeted for screening, our findings most strongly supported the claim that Pap smears were performed in this setting when they were requested, required, or convenient.
D000328:Adult; D001061:Appalachian Region; D001706:Biopsy; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D012306:Risk; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears