A source of Error in Self-Reports of Pap Test Utilization

1. A source of Error in Self-Reports of Pap Test Utilization Judith Pizarro, Tamera Schneider & Peter Salovey Yale University Health, Emotion, and Behavior Laboratory Department of Psychology

2. Introduction • Cervical Cancer can be prevented by early detection of cellular abnormalities and treatment. • The Pap test can reliably detect pre-cancerous conditions that are nearly 100 % curable. • 88% of U.S. women report obtaining Pap tests. • Cervical Cancer is still a common cancer.

3. Background • Health care providers depend on self-report histories. • Typically, women over-report having had a Pap smear. • Self-report of Pap test utilization is less accurate than self-report for other types of screening tests, such as mammography.

4. Goal of Research • To explore in a sample of low-income and minority women whether women over-report Pap testing because other gynecological procedures are mistaken for it.

5. Participants • Number of study participants • 161 • Age • ranged from 18-86 (Mean = 38) • Ethnicity • African American 61% , Latina 25 %, Caucasian 9%, and Other 5% • Education • the typical participant had completed high school but had not attended college • Average Income • $7,200 per year

6. MethodCoding Medical Data • We coded data from women’s medical records into one of four categories. • 1. No Pap test or other gynecological procedure was obtained. • 2. Some gynecological procedure was performed that did not require the use of a speculum. • 3. A procedure requiring the use of a speculum was performed (e.g., STD test, visual inspection), but no Pap test was obtained. • 4.A Pap test was obtained.

7. Results

8. Discussion • As in previous research, participants over-reported receiving Pap tests. • Pap self-report accuracy increases when the procedure is explained. • Educating women is key to reduce the number of lives lost to cervical cancer.