Predictors of Cervical Cancer Screening: An Application of Health Belief Model

Worldwide, cervical carcinoma is one of the most common gynecologic malignant tumors and a leading cause of death from genital malignancies in women. Although, pap smear as a screening method has the potential to identify pre-cancerous lesions and could massively reduce the invasive disease in developed countries, developing countries could not significantly lower the rate of cervical cancer among general population through using this screening test. This chapter will review the factors influencing cervical cancer screening behavior. First, the state of pap smear up taking as a method of screening among women is described. Second, the structure of Health Belief Model and how the constructs of the model could predict health behavior of cervical cancer screening will be explained. Finally, the application of Health Belief Model intervention to improve the behavior of cervical cancer screening among women will be discussed.