Understanding of Cervical Screening Adoption among Female University Students Based on the Precaution Adoption Process Model and Health-Belief Model

Hye Young Shin, Purum Kang, Soo Yeon Song and Jae Kwan Jun ()
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Hye Young Shin: Department of Nursing, Gangseo University, Seoul 07661, Republic of Korea
Purum Kang: College of Nursing, Woosuk University, Wanju 55338, Republic of Korea
Soo Yeon Song: National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang 10408, Republic of Korea
Jae Kwan Jun: National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang 10408, Republic of Korea

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: This study aimed to identify the decisional stages for cervical screening and corresponding cognitive factors in female university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Korean female university students aged 20–29 years through an online survey. The main outcome was the decisional stage of cervical screening adoption using the precaution adoption process model. The stages were classified into pre-adoption (the unawareness, unengaged, and undecided stages), adoption (the decided to act and acting stages), and refusal (the decided not to act stage). The cognitive factors in each stage were analyzed using the key concepts of the health-belief model. Cervical screening was defined as a clinical Papanicolaou (Pap) smear performed by a physician in a clinic. The final analysis included 1024 students. Approximately 89.0%, 1.0%, and 10.2% were classified as the pre-adoption, refusal, and adoption stages, respectively. Compared to the pre-adoption stage group, the adoption stage group was more likely to be older and have higher self-efficacy and knowledge. Most participants belonged to the pre-adoption stage—those unaware of cervical screening. Furthermore, most had a low level of knowledge and perception of cervical cancer and its screening. Therefore, our study highlighted the need for education to increase awareness and knowledge of cervical screening in this population.

Keywords: Pap smear; uterine cervical neoplasms; young adult; health-belief model; university student; decision-making (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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