title: Women's understanding of the term 'Pap smear'.
abstract: To assess the understanding of the term 'Pap smear' among women across the entire adult lifespan after recent changes to the guidelines on cervical cancer screening. Women attending the Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic at a large safety net teaching hospital in a Midwestern city were provided one of two versions of a confidential and anonymous survey to complete. The difference between the two versions was the way the primary research question was worded. There were 174 participants ranging in age from 15 to 69 (mean = 33.9) years. Of the 73 women who completed version A of the survey, 74 % were able to identify at least one correct descriptor for the term 'Pap smear.' Women who could identify at least one correct descriptor for the term 'Pap smear' were on average older than those who could not (mean = 36.9 vs. 28.7 years; p = 0.012). Of the 94 patients completing survey version B, 67 % could not differentiate a pelvic exam from a Pap smear. There was no association between age and ability to differentiate a pelvic exam from a Pap smear. The majority of women cannot distinguish a Pap smear from a pelvic exam. The unexpected finding of less understanding among younger women prompts a need for further research and invites discussion of whether more cervical cancer prevention education, with more emphasis on HPV vaccines in recent years, has neglected the importance of Pap smears-which is beginning to show up in knowledge of younger women. Both these findings suggest a need for increased patient education during female preventive health clinic visits.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2301 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA, Dhoward3@gmail.com.
authors: David L
authors: DL
authors: Howard
authors: Sarah Smith
authors: SS
authors: Hostetter
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Hunter
authors: Nicole
authors: N
authors: Johnson
authors: Saladin
authors: S
authors: Cooper
authors: Gerard
authors: G
authors: Malnar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D058869:Gynecological Examination; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult
references: Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004 Oct;158(10):966-70
references: 15466684
references: Acad Emerg Med. 2004 Apr;11(4):405-8
references: 15064218
references: Cancer Causes Control. 2009 Sep;20(7):1129-38
references: 19253025
references: Am J Clin Pathol. 2012 Apr;137(4):516-42
references: 22431528
references: Prev Med. 2007 Aug-Sep;45(2-3):93-106
references: 17651792
references: J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2009 Aug;22(4):251-6
references: 19646672
references: Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Apr;121(4):829-46
references: 23635684
references: Cancer. 2004 Sep 1;101(5):1051-7
references: 15329915
references: Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Feb;109(2 Pt 1):360-70
references: 17267837