The association between cervical abnormalities and attitudes toward cervical cancer prevention

We investigated whether a history of cervical abnormalities predicts responses to cervical cancer prevention for women and their daughters.

In 2007, we interviewed 832 mothers of adolescent daughters from North Carolina counties with elevated rates of cervical cancer. We measured the association of experiences with cervical abnormalities and emotions, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to cervical cancer and its prevention.

Anxiety about cervical cancer was higher among women who had cervical cancer, hysterectomies, and abnormal Pap test results (including false positives) than in women who had experienced none of these (each p < 0.05). Pap tests were perceived as being more effective at reducing the chance of developing cervical cancer by women with a history of cancer and women who reported hysterectomies relative to women with normal Pap results (each p < 0.05). Intentions to vaccinate their daughters against human papillomavirus (HPV) were highest among women who had cervical cancer, women who had hysterectomies, and women who were treated for precancerous lesions (each p < 0.05).

Women with histories of cervical health abnormalities reported more favorable views of Pap testing and HPV vaccination than women who had received only normal Pap testing results. They also reported higher levels of anxiety about cervical cancer.