Factors related to cervical cancer screening among women in Phra Phrom District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to examine the level of health beliefs regarding cervical cancer and to analyze the factors associated with cervical cancer screening among women in Phra Phrom District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The study population consisted of women aged 30–60 years residing in Phra Phrom District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. A sample size of 404 women was calculated, and 400 completed questionnaires were valid and complete. A systematic random sampling method was used. The research instrument was a questionnaire assessing health beliefs and cervical cancer screening behaviors, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.85. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression.

The results showed that the overall level of health beliefs was moderate (71.50%). When considering each dimension, it was found that perceived susceptibility to the disease, perceived severity of the disease, and perceived benefits of preventive behavior were mostly at a high level (58.30%, 55.50%, and 78.00%, respectively). Meanwhile, perceived barriers to preventive behavior were mostly at a low level (62.50%). Regarding screening behavior, 74.00% of women had undergone cervical cancer screening. Factors associated with cervical cancer screening indicated that women who had previously received information about cervical cancer were 1.86 times more likely to undergo screening compared to those who had not received such information (adj. OR = 1.76; 95%CI: 1.58-3.39). Other factors were not significantly associated with cervical cancer screening.

Therefore, public health officers should continue promoting cervical cancer screening regularly. Even though perceived barriers to screening were at a low level, collaboration with village health volunteers (VHVs) to provide clear and accurate information about cervical cancer and to organize community-based screening clinics is still recommended.