title: Factors affecting cervical cancer screening uptake by Hmong hilltribe women in Thailand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical cancer is relatively common in Thai women, but the proportion of females receiving Pap smear screening is still low.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to study factors related to cervical cancer screening uptake by Hmong hilltribe women in Lomkao District, Phetchabun Province.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interview data were collected from 547 of these women aged 30-60 years living in the study area and analyzed using multiple logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that 64.9% of the study sample had received screening, and that 47.2% had attended due to a cervical screening campaign. The most common reason given for not receiving screening was lack of time (21.4%). The factors found to be positively associated with uptake (p value <0.05) were as follows: number of years of school attendance (OR=1.56, 95%CI:1.02-2.38), animistic religious beliefs (OR=0.55, 95%CI:0.33-0.91), a previous pregnancy (OR=6.20, 95%CI:1.36-28.35), receipt of information about cervical cancer screening (OR=2.25, 95%CI:1.35-3.76), and perceived risk of developing cervical cancer (OR=1.83, 95%CI:1.25-2.67).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To promote the uptake of cervical screening, Hmong hilltribe women need to know more about cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening, and access to screening services should be provided in conjunction with existing everyday services, such as family planning and routine blood pressure monitoring or diabetes services.
authors.affiliation: Wangban Health Promoting Hospital, Phetchabun, Thailand E-mail : supannee@kku.ac.th.
authors.forename: Laead
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wongwatcharanukul
authors.forename: Supannee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Promthet
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bradshaw
authors.forename: Chananya
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jirapornkul
authors.forename: Naowarat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tungsrithong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D020073:Gravidity; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012067:Religion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014626:Vaginal Smears