Cervical cancer screening in Kolkata, India: beliefs and predictors of cervical cancer screening among women attending a women's health clinic in Kolkata, India.
BACKGROUND
Proportionally, India has the highest mortality from cervical cancer in the world.


METHODS
A 2nd-year medical student recruited 299 women from a gynecology clinic in Kolkata, India who completed a questionnaire assessing demographic information; health care history; Pap test utilization; and knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes about cervical cancer and screening.


RESULTS
A total of 10% had received a Pap test at least once. Most women reported "limited" to "no" knowledge of cervical cancer (84%) and the Pap test (95%). Age (P < .013) and perceived knowledge of a Pap test (P < 0.001) were significant predictors of first-time screening.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest a need to increase cervical cancer awareness in the community and to develop community-based screening programs.
Roy
Brita
B
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. broy@med.umich.edu
Tang
Tricia S
TS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult