Factors related to poor practice of pap smear screening among secondary school teachers in Malaysia

Introduction: The Pap smear test has been regarded as a promising cervical screening tool since 1940s. Yet its importance has been overlooked by beneficiaries in Malaysia. This underlines the need to identify the prevalence of Pap smear practice and influencing factors towards the practice among edu...

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Main Authors: Abdullah, Fauziah, Aziz, Norlaili Abdul, Tin, Tin Su
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.um.edu.my/7664/1/1347-1352_c_4.17_Fauziah_Abdullah.pdf
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author Abdullah, Fauziah
Aziz, Norlaili Abdul
Tin, Tin Su
author_facet Abdullah, Fauziah
Aziz, Norlaili Abdul
Tin, Tin Su
author_sort Abdullah, Fauziah
collection UM
description Introduction: The Pap smear test has been regarded as a promising cervical screening tool since 1940s. Yet its importance has been overlooked by beneficiaries in Malaysia. This underlines the need to identify the prevalence of Pap smear practice and influencing factors towards the practice among educated working women. Methods: A survey was conducted with 403 female teachers from 40 public secondary schools in Malaysia selected by cluster random sampling. Data were collected from January to March 2010 using a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify the factors related to the Pap smear practice. Results: The rate for participants who ever had Pap test was only 38 and poor practice of was significantly higher among: those with aged less than 35 years; those practicing hormonal contraceptive method; and individuals perceiving barriers to the Pap smear screening test. In contrast, the findings were significantly lower in women with longer duration of teaching service; higher income groups; ever pregnant; having chronic diseases; health insurance coverage; and who had perceived benefit of Pap smear screening. Conclusion: Barriers towards practicing Pap smear exist even among educated career women. Tailor-made health promotion and education on cervical cancer and the benefit of Pap smear screening are essential to change the behavior of the study population.
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spelling um.eprints-76642019-12-16T08:49:18Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/7664/ Factors related to poor practice of pap smear screening among secondary school teachers in Malaysia Abdullah, Fauziah Aziz, Norlaili Abdul Tin, Tin Su R Medicine Introduction: The Pap smear test has been regarded as a promising cervical screening tool since 1940s. Yet its importance has been overlooked by beneficiaries in Malaysia. This underlines the need to identify the prevalence of Pap smear practice and influencing factors towards the practice among educated working women. Methods: A survey was conducted with 403 female teachers from 40 public secondary schools in Malaysia selected by cluster random sampling. Data were collected from January to March 2010 using a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify the factors related to the Pap smear practice. Results: The rate for participants who ever had Pap test was only 38 and poor practice of was significantly higher among: those with aged less than 35 years; those practicing hormonal contraceptive method; and individuals perceiving barriers to the Pap smear screening test. In contrast, the findings were significantly lower in women with longer duration of teaching service; higher income groups; ever pregnant; having chronic diseases; health insurance coverage; and who had perceived benefit of Pap smear screening. Conclusion: Barriers towards practicing Pap smear exist even among educated career women. Tailor-made health promotion and education on cervical cancer and the benefit of Pap smear screening are essential to change the behavior of the study population. West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention 2011 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://eprints.um.edu.my/7664/1/1347-1352_c_4.17_Fauziah_Abdullah.pdf Abdullah, Fauziah and Aziz, Norlaili Abdul and Tin, Tin Su (2011) Factors related to poor practice of pap smear screening among secondary school teachers in Malaysia. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 12 (5). pp. 1347-1352. ISSN 1513-7368, http://www.apjcpcontrol.org/paper_file/issue_abs/Volume12_No5/1347-1352%20c%204.17%20Fauziah%20Abdullah.pdf
spellingShingle R Medicine
Abdullah, Fauziah
Aziz, Norlaili Abdul
Tin, Tin Su
Factors related to poor practice of pap smear screening among secondary school teachers in Malaysia
title Factors related to poor practice of pap smear screening among secondary school teachers in Malaysia
title_full Factors related to poor practice of pap smear screening among secondary school teachers in Malaysia
title_fullStr Factors related to poor practice of pap smear screening among secondary school teachers in Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed Factors related to poor practice of pap smear screening among secondary school teachers in Malaysia
title_short Factors related to poor practice of pap smear screening among secondary school teachers in Malaysia
title_sort factors related to poor practice of pap smear screening among secondary school teachers in malaysia
topic R Medicine
url http://eprints.um.edu.my/7664/1/1347-1352_c_4.17_Fauziah_Abdullah.pdf
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