Abstract

PATRAO, Ivone  and  LEAL, Isabel. Adherence behavior to the cervical cancer screening: an exploratory study with a patient sample of the centro de saúde de Peniche  . Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2002, vol.3, n.1, pp.103-112. ISSN 1645-0086.

The objective of the present investigation is to study the Adherence Behavior to the Cervical Cancer Screening, and also explore witch variables have a significant correlation. This is a descriptive, correlational, exploratory and transversal study. For the present study the Adherence Behavior was defined has the main variable The psychological variables and the one’s who characterize the participants were the influenced variables. The data were obtained assessing 400 women using a questionnaire (their age range between 18 and 65 years old). All of them were patients in the Peniche Health Center. For the purposes of the study we used data from descriptive and percentage statistics and also non-parametric tests. The results suggest that exist a low adherence behavior (74,8%) to cytology. The relation between variables seems interesting because it characterize the cytology adherence behaviors. Women, who have a low adherence behavior, have indifferent barriers beliefs to adherence. They are less vulnerable, have less worry cancer thoughts and give a lower value to their health. Furthermore, they are younger, single, doesn’t have children, smoke, go to the doctor just when they have symptoms, doesn’t go to birth control program appointments and do not use any contraceptive method. The one’s who have children, did not go to the after birth control appointments, don’t have any medical recommendations and they don’t think in doing the cytology. Also, they prefer female doctors. On the other hand, women who have higher levels of adherence, do not create barriers to adherence. They have higher levels of vulnerability beliefs and are middle worriers about the Cervical Cancer. They give a high value to their health. The women of this group are older, married, has children, they not smoke and do regular appointments with their family doctor. This women are more likely to go to the birth control appointments, they use more frequently birth control methods, went to the after birth appointments, have medical recommendations and they intend to do the cytology. In contrast, they don’t have any preference in doctors’ gender.

Keywords : Adherence; Cervical Cancer; Screening.

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