title: Predictors of Iranian women's intention to first papanicolaou test practice: An application of protection motivation theory.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Given the importance of papanicolaou (Pap) test in the early detection and timely treatment of cervical cancer, present study was designed to determine predictors of a sample of Iranian women's intention to first Pap test practice based on the protection motivation theory (PMT) variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, a total of 240 women referral to the 30 primary health care clinics were selected. They completed a developed scale based on PMT variables including intention, perceived vulnerability and severity, fear, response costs, response efficacy and self-efficacy. Path analysis was used to determine the association between predictive factors and intention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that PMT had goodness of fit with a χ2/df = 2.37, df = 28, P= 0.001 and RMSEA = 0.076. PMT explained 42% of the variance in women's intention to get first Pap smear test. Self-efficacy (b = 0.55, P< 0.001) and response efficacy (b = 0.19, P< 0.001) were found to be the predictors of intention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings may be used to develop tailored, theory-based educational interventions associated with Pap testing among women.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dehdari
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hassani
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shojaeizadeh
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hajizadeh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nedjat
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abedini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007492:Iran; D009042:Motivation; D065006:Papanicolaou Test / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires