title: Perception and experience of primary care physicians on Pap smear screening for women with intellectual disabilities: a preliminary finding.
abstract: This study aims to establish evidence-based data to explore the perceptions and experience of primary care physicians in the Pap smear screening provision for women with intellectual disabilities (ID), and to analyze the associated factors in the delivery of screening services to women with ID in Taiwan. Data obtained by a cross-sectional survey by a structured, self-administered questionnaire (12 perceptional issues), and were posted to all primary care settings (N=168) which provided Pap smear tests for women with ID in Taichung and I-Lan counties in Taiwan, Republic of China during the period of 2009. The vital primary care physician of each healthcare setting was the main respondent of the questionnaire. Finally, there were 69 valid questionnaires returned, giving a response rate of 41.7%. The main findings showed that 72.5% medical care settings provide Pap smear services and 51.5% have practical experience on conducting the tests for women with ID. Among the respondents, nearly 90% primary care physicians expressed that women with ID need Pap smear test regularly. With regard to the associated factors in the delivery of Pap smear screening services to women with ID. The study found that experienced healthcare settings in Pap smear tests for women with ID were more likely to be in public healthcare settings, felt confident in providing screening tests, having a rapid screening program and having a reminding follow-up system. Those respondents felt necessity in Pap smear test for women with ID were more likely to express it is needed to set up a special screening clinic for this group of women. The present study suggests that women with ID need thoughtful, well-coordinated care from primary care physicians, to increase access to health care providers may be helpful in improving Pap screening tests for this population.
authors: School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. a530706@ndmctsgh.edu.tw
authors: Jin-Ding
authors: JD
authors: Lin
authors: Chang-Lin
authors: CL
authors: Sung
authors: Lan-Ping
authors: LP
authors: Lin
authors: Ta-Wen
authors: TW
authors: Liu
authors: Pei-Ying
authors: PY
authors: Lin
authors: Li-Mei
authors: LM
authors: Chen
authors: Cordia M
authors: CM
authors: Chu
authors: Jia-Ling
authors: JL
authors: Wu
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010820:Physicians; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*