Cervical cancer and self-responsibility: modeling the risk of refraining to undergo a papanicolaou test among Chilean women by decision trees

• Main Authors: Carlos Rodríguez Garcés, Geraldo Padilla Fuentes
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad de San Martín de Porres 2018-01-01
• Series: Horizonte Médico
• Subjects: Uterine cervical neoplasms; prueba de Papanicolaou; papanicolaou test; women's health; self care
• Online Access: http://www.horizontemedicina.usmp.edu.pe/index.php/horizontemed/article/view/748/448
• ISSN: 1727-558X; 2227-3530

Objective: To model by statistical means the risk levels of refraining to undergo a papanicolaou test among Chilean women according to sociodemographic variables. Materials and methods: National Socioeconomic Characterization Survey (CASEN). Sample of 73,324 cases, according to CASEN’s data. Modeling by decision trees to establish the profile of women who refrain from undergoing a papanicolaou test, and then analyze the reasons for that decision. Results: The risk of refraining to undergo a papanicolaou test varies considerably and depends on variables such as other cancer preventive tests (not undergoing a mammography), adulthood stage (late phase), and marital status. The traditional lack of information and access is replaced by personal reasons as the frequent excuse for not undergoing a papanicolaou test on a continuous basis. Perception of unusefulness and lack of time cause this refraining behavior as a decision and not as an impossibility. Conclusions: The results question contemporary women’s characteristics and behaviors, and pose the need for considering a social-educational intervention as a requirement to generate favorable attitudes towards prevention. These factors should be considered by social policy on cancer prevention in general, and particularly in cervical cancer prevention