Barriers to pap smear test for the second time in women referring to health care centers in the South of Tehran: a qualitative approach

Background: Cervical cancer is a preventable disease with a regular screening program. Many studies have reported a large number of barriers that women had for the first time, but this study decided to find other barriers for the second time pap smear

Methods: In this qualitative research, data were gathered through in-depth interviews and expressed through conventional content analysis in the form of constant comparison. The participants were 15 women with family profile at 30 health care centers who lived in the south of Tehran and had done Pap smear for one time but didn't do it for the second time

Results: Three main themes emerged from the analysis of the interviews: negative experiences of the first Pap test were as follows: results of the first time test, readiness for performing the test, getting the test itself, and the site of the first Pap test. Personal barriers to getting the second Pap test were: inattention to time, physical barriers to the second Pap test, and inhibitory beliefs. Perceived social barriers to getting the second Pap test with two sub-themes included social supports and abstract norms

Conclusion: This study provided other barriers about Pap smear including lack of the spouse's support, the role of health care providers and physicians in screening program for early diagnosis in women

[Exercise self- efficacy, exercise perceived benefits and barriers among students in hormozgan university of medical sciences]

The objective of this study was to determine self efficacy, perceived benefit/ barriers to exercise of students in Hormozagan University of Medical sciences [HUMS]. This was a cross-sectional study. Using stratified sampling, 350 current students of HUMS were studied from November to December 2007 in Bandar Abbass, Iran. Data regarding self efficacy, perceived benefits/barriers to exercise among participants were assessed through Exercise self efficacy scale and Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale. Data were analyzed by SPPS version 1 3. In all, the data of 249 participants with mean age of 21.7 +/- 2.7 were analyzed. Among them 65 participants [26.5%] including 36 girls and 30 boys were doing physical activity. Mean scores of self efficacy, perceived benefits, perceived barriers were 23 + 7.1, 96 +/- 12.5 and 31.9 +/- 6.1, respectively. There were statistically significant relationship between self efficacy and perceived barriers with physical activity [P<0.05]. This study revealed perceived barriers such as insufficient time, money and also tiredness due of exercise could decrease physical activity. However perceived self-efficacy and encouraging by friends and family members have a key role of doing regular physical activities