Prevalence of Women Seeking Health Care Services at Phramongkutklao Hospital Who Never Had a Pap Smear or Whose Last Pap Smear Interval Was Equal or More Than Three Years

Abstract

Objective To determine prevalence of women who never had a Pap smear or whose last Pap
smear interval was equal to or more than three years and reasons for not screening.
Study Design A descriptive study.
Setting Out-patient clinic at Phramongkutklao hospital.
Method Ten percent of women who attended the out-patient clinic at Phramongkutklao
Hospital from five departments answered a self administered pre-tested questionnaire each
day. Patients whose register ten percent were met number ending with the order of 5,0 were
chosen as subjects each day until the sample required.
Result A total of 252 women answered the questionnaire. Among these 27.9% had never
had a Pap smear, while 17.1% had their last Pap smear at equal to or more than three years.
Most common reasons for not having Pap smear done were fear of cancer, fear of pain due to
the procedure, and long waiting time at hospitals.
Conclusion Among women who attended out-patient clinics at Phramongkutklao hospital, 45%
had never had or had their last Pap smear at interval equal or more than three years.