Chinese women's motivation to receive future screening: The role of social-demographic factors, knowledge and risk perception of cervical cancer

• Published in: European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. 154 - 161
• Main Authors: Gu, Can, Chan, Carmen W.H, He, Guo-Ping, Choi, K.C, Yang, Sheng-Bo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Scotland Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2013
• Subjects: Adult; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Cervical cancer; Cervical screening; China; Chinese women; Cross-Sectional Studies; Culture; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Knowledge; Mass Screening; Middle Aged; Motivation; Nursing; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - ethnology; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - psychology; Protection motivation; Protection motivation theory; Psychological Theory; Regression Analysis; Risk perception; Screening; Surveys and Questionnaires; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - diagnosis; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - ethnology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - prevention & control; Vaginal Smears - utilization; Women; China; Chinese women; Cervical screening; Risk perception; Protection motivation; Knowledge
• ISSN: 1462-3889; 1532-2122
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2012.04.005

Abstract Purpose of the research This paper adopted Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to examine Chinese women's knowledge and perceptions of cervical cancer risk and factors influencing their motivation to receive future screening. Methods and sample A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 167 Chinese women (142 women were willing to receive a screening in the future and 25 women were not) in 2007 to collect women's socio-demographic information and sexual history, perceptions related to body health and knowledge about cervical cancer and screening, and Protection Motivation Theory measures. Key results The majority of women stated they intended to receive future screening and response efficacy was significantly associated with their intention. However, no significant association was observed between sexual history and protection motivation. Using multivariate analysis, cancer in relatives (odds ratio, OR = 9.97, 95% CI [1.44–436.3], p  = 0.010), a perception that visiting a doctor regularly is important to health (OR = 9.85, 95% CI [1.61–999.9], p  = 0.009)), and ever attending for cervical screening during the previous three years (OR = 3.49, 95% CI [1.23–11.02], p  = 0.016) were significantly associated with women' motivation to receive future screening. Conclusion The findings of this study highlight the important role of women's beliefs in the value of cervical screening and previous screening experience in motivating them to receive a screening. Education intervention is needed to provide information and raise public awareness about the importance of cervical screening to women's health. Culture-related beliefs and social motivational processes in addition to those specified by PMT need to be addressed.