title: Factors Associated With Adherence to Follow-up Colposcopy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Understanding the gaps in knowledge about human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, transmission, and health consequences and factors associated with the knowledge gap is an essential first step for the development of interventions to improve adherence to follow-up among women with abnormal Pap smears.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between knowledge about HPV and adherence to scheduled colposcopic evaluation and variables related to lack of knowledge among women with abnormal Pap tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  Telephone surveys were conducted with women who attended their scheduled appointments (adherers) and women who did not attend their appointments (nonadherers).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The multivariable analyses indicate that lower HPV knowledge was independently associated with nonadherence to follow-up, controlling for race and education level. Factors related to lower knowledge scores included non-white race, lower education, and lack of health insurance at the time of the scheduled appointment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lack of knowledge of HPV was related to nonadherence among women scheduled for colposcopic evaluation.
  Health education interventions that deliver complex information about HPV and cervical cancer should be in a format that is accessible and understandable to the women who are most at risk of being nonadherent.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Fish
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Patricia G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Moorman
authors.affiliation: North Carolina Central University.
authors.forename: Lashawn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wordlaw-Stintson
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Cathrine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoyo