title: Personal and socio-cultural barriers to cervical cancer screening in Iran, patient and provider perceptions: a qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although cervical cancer is preventable and early screening might decrease the associated mortality, challenges faced by the women and health care providers can postpone early detection. This qualitative study aimed to establish patient and provider perceptions about personal and socio-cultural barriers for cervical cancer screening in Mashhad, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, which was conducted in 2012, eighteen participants, who were selected purposefully, participated in individual in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using conventional content analysis and Atlas-Ti software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One theme and two categories were derived from data including: cognitive/behavioral factors (lack of a community-based approach to cervical cancer, lack of awareness, wrong attitude and lack of health seeking behaviors) and socio/cultural issues (socio-cultural invasion, mismatch between tradition, modernity and religious, extra marital relationships and cultural taboos).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Providing community based approach education programs and employing social policy are needed for preventing of cervical cancer in Iran.
authors.affiliation: Nursing and Midwifery School, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran E-mail : EbrahimipourH@mums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Roghieh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bayrami
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taghipour
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ebrahimipour
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010465:Perception; D011379:Prognosis; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology