title: Cervical cancer screening in women referred to healthcare centres in Tabriz, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Iranian women and among the few cancers that could be easily diagnosed in the pre-malignant stage. We aimed to assess the status of cervical cancer screening in women referred to health care centres in Tabriz, northwest Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive-analytical study was done on 441 women referred to health care centres of Tabriz, northwest Iran. The centres were selected using the multi-stage cluster sampling method. The participants were selected from the active records of those centres. A questionnaire regarding the socio-demographic characteristics and cervical cancer screening and reasons for referring or not referring for screening was completed by the participants A P < 0.05 was considered as significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the participants 49.4% of women had done the Pap smear test while 50.6% had never done this test. The main reason why women had not performed cervical cancer screening was being unaware of the importance of it (46.1%). Logistic regression analysis with adjustment showed a significant relationship between screening and awareness scores (OR = 1.17, CI = 95%:1.12-1.23), when the effect of other confounding factors [total awareness scores, risk factors (marriage or having sexual intercourse at a young age, history of obvious cervical infection, cautery, cryotherapy or repeated curettage), age and type of family planning] in screening was controlled.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Suitable and continuous educational programmes especially for high risk women should be implemented through the health care services. Preparing educational brochures and pamphlets and providing adequate training on the necessity of early referral and marriage counseling could also be effective in improving woman's awareness and performance.
authors: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Research Center of Npmc, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Azizeh
authors: A
authors: Farshbaf-Khalili
authors: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Hanieh
authors: H
authors: Salehi-Pourmehr
authors: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Mahnaz
authors: M
authors: Shahnazi
authors: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz Branch of Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Sina
authors: S
authors: Yaghoubi
authors: Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Parvaneh
authors: P
authors: Gahremani-Nasab
keywords: Cervical cancer; Pap smear; performance
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