Factors affecting the utilization of pap smear screening program among nurses in the department of medicine, Siriraj Hospital.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To determine factors affecting the utilization of Pap smear screening program among nurses in the Department of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital. The surveyed factors included knowledge of cervical cancer, attitude toward Pap smear screening, and the negative attitude toward Pap smear procedures. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey. A questionnaire was distributed to 400 nurses in the Department of Medicine. Results: The response rate was 98.3% (393/400). 113 nurses were eligible to have Pap smear (aged > 35 years). Only 34.5% of them had regular Pap smear screening. Knowledge and attitudes between regular and non-regular groups were not different (p-value = 0.90 and 0.97, respectively). Most of nurses had good attitude toward Pap smear. In non-regular Pap smear group, most of nurses refused to have Pap smear screening due to the perception of Pap smear procedures. Conclusion: There were no relationship between knowledge or attitude and the decision to utilize Pap smear screening program. Approximately 50% of nurses had good knowledge of cervical cancer. Most of the nurses had good attitudes toward Pap smear regardless of the utilization of Pap smear screening. However, the nurses who did not use the screening program tended to have negative attitude toward Pap smear procedures.