Pap smear noncompliance among female obstetrics-gynecology residents.
OBJECTIVE
We wish to determine how well female obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) residents in the United States follow recommendations for routine Pap smears in managing their own health care and to identify the reasons for noncompliance.


METHODS
A survey was mailed to 1693 female OB/GYN residents in the U.S. Factors associated with noncompliance were determined by chi-square. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent prognostic factors and calculate the odds ratio (OR).


RESULTS
Six hundred eleven (36%) surveys were returned with compliance information. Noncompliance was reported by 33%. Lack of time or inconvenience was cited as the most common reason (93%) for noncompliance, followed by consideration of themselves as low risk for cervical disease (41%) and fear of or embarrassment in seeing a doctor (14%). On multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for noncompliance during residency included noncompliance prior to residency (OR 4.6, P<0.0001) and Asian ethnicity (OR 2.1, P = 0.02), whereas East Indian ethnicity (OR 3.0, P = 0.06) and having no children (OR 1.6, P = 0.07) were near significant.


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial proportion of female OB/GYN residents do not follow standard recommendations for routine Pap smears. Although the principal reason for noncompliance given was lack of available time and/or inconvenience during residency, this behavior predated residency and was associated with specific ethnic groups.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010349:Patient Compliance; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000523:psychology*