title: Cervical Cancer Screening in Iranian Women: Healthcare Practitioner Perceptions and Views
abstract: Background: Although regular screening for cervical cancer with the Papanicolaou test is an important element
  for reducing the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer, the actual screening program in Iranian women is not
  sufficiently comprehensive at present. The purpose of this study was to explore healthcare provider perceptions of factors
  affecting cervical cancer screening in Iranian women. Methods: In this qualitative study performed from September
  2015 to August 2016 in Hamadan, Iran, we conducted semi-structured in depth interviews with 14 healthcare providers
  selected purposefully. All interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed according to a conventional thematic
  analysis approach. MAXQDA10 software was employed for data analysis. Results: Four themes were extracted from
  data: “Inefficient management of cervical cancer screening process, Personal and professional characteristics of health
  care providers, Individual barriers and facilitators, Need for health system authorities to pay attention”. Conclusion:
  Increased official attention to screening, and identifying challenges and providing strategies based on these challenges
  will help in achieving a successful screening program. It is necessary to attend to professional features of medical
  science students and increase the skills of interaction with clients in addition to academic training. Efforts should be
  made to increase trust in healthcare providers regarding the Pap test and receptiveness of society to this screening
  modality through informing the public, with encouragement through the media.
authors.affiliation: Department  of  Reproductive Health, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Email:khakbaza@sina.tums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Mansoureh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Refaei
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dehghan Nayeri
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khakbazan
authors.forename: Minoo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pakgohar
keywords: Papanicolaou test; healthcare practitioners; Iran