Perceptions of cervical cancer threat, benefits, and barriers of Papanicolaou smear screening programs for women in Iran

Objectives: The main purpose was to assess associations between HBM variables and participation in cervical cancer screening programs in a sample of Iranian women. Methods: A total of 333 married women of childbearing age were recruited with cluster sampling. The study was conducted from spring 2002 to spring 2003 and a self-report questionnaire and structured interview were designed to measure the four HBM constructs and Iranian women's knowledge about Pap smear screening. Results: A total of 68.5% reported having undergone at least one Pap test. Women were more likely to participate in Pap smears when they had access to knowledge about cervical cancer and screening programs.Furthermore, the perceived benefit and barrier variables of the Health belief model were two factors related to participation in Pap smear testing. Conclusions: Health care professionals must provide women with more information about cervical cancer and the benefits of participating in cervical cancer screening programs.