Table 3.
Distribution of responses to questions about cervical cancer prevention. Correct responses are in bold type.
| Question | HIV positive, N=1123 | HIV negative, N=465 | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| What part of body does Pap test check? | |||
| Vagina | 304 (27.1) | 138 (29.7) | 0.57 |
| Cervix (mouth of the womb) | 499 (44.4) | 198 (42.6) | |
| Uterus (womb) | 121 (10.8) | 55 (11.8) | |
| Don’t know | 199 (17.7) | 74 (15.9) | |
| How often should Pap test be done for a woman who does not have HIV? | |||
| Every 6 months | 571 (50.8) | 321 (69.0) | <0.0001 |
| Every 1–3 years | 451 (40.2) | 114 (24.5) | |
| Every 4–5 years | 5 (0.5) | 0 (0) | |
| When a woman has a discharge | 6 (0.5) | 0 (0) | |
| Don’t know | 90 (8.0) | 30 (6.5) | |
| Women in WIHS have Pap tests every visit. Outside a study, how often should a Pap test be done for a woman with HIV? | |||
| Every year, once two tests are normal | 900 (80.1) | 282 (60.6) | <0.0001 |
| Every 3 years | 9 (0.8) | 8 (1.7) | |
| Every 4–5 years | 4 (0.4) | 4 (0.9) | |
| When a woman has a discharge | 40 (3.6) | 13 (2.8) | |
| Don’t know | 170 (15.1) | 158 (34.0) | |
| What is the purpose of a Pap test? | |||
| To check for a yeast infection | 50 (4.4) | 21 (4.5) | 0.0002 |
| To look inside the vagina | 107 (9.5) | 83 (17.9) | |
| To check for cervical cancer or precancerous cells | 861 (76.7) | 320 (68.8) | |
| To see why a woman has painful periods | 17 (1.5) | 8 (1.7) | |
| To treat cancer | 5 (0.5) | 0 (0) | |
| Don’t know | 83 (7.4) | 33 (7.1) | |
| What does it mean if you have an abnormal Pap test? | |||
| It means the female organs look bad | 50 (4.4) | 21 (4.5) | 0.07 |
| It means you have cancer | 21 (1.9) | 3 (0.6) | |
| It means you have a STD and need antibiotics | 48 (4.3) | 30 (6.5) | |
| It means you have a yeast infection | 29 (2.6) | 14 (3.0) | |
| It means you have abnormal cells that can turn into cancer | 834 (74.3) | 324 (69.7) | |
| Don’t know | 141 (12.5) | 73 (15.7) | |
| After an abnormal Pap test, follow-up may include: | |||
| A blood test | |||
| True | 370 (33.0) | 221 (47.5) | <0.0001 |
| False | 446 (39.7) | 114 (24.5) | |
| Don’t know | 307 (27.3) | 130 (28.0) | |
| A biopsy | |||
| True | 833 (74.2) | 300 (64.5) | 0.0003 |
| False | 105 (9.3) | 67 (14.4) | |
| Don’t know | 185 (16.5) | 98 (21.1) | |
| Another Pap test | |||
| True | 769 (68.5) | 337 (72.5) | 0.20 |
| False | 146 (13.0) | 47 (10.1) | |
| Don’t know | 208 (18.5) | 81 (17.4) | |
| Colposcopy | |||
| True | 742 (66.1) | 228 (49.0) | <0.0001 |
| False | 129 (11.5) | 66 (14.2) | |
| Don’t know | 252 (22.4) | 171 (36.8) | |
| Testing for HPV | |||
| True | 647 (57.6) | 261 (56.1) | 0.81 |
| False | 123 (11.0) | 50 (10.8) | |
| Don’t know | 353 (31.4) | 154 (33.1) | |
| Nothing | |||
| True | 58 (5.2) | 31 (6.7) | 0.48 |
| False | 735 (65.4) | 302 (64.9) | |
| Don’t know | 330 (29.4) | 132 (28.4) | |
| What makes a woman more likely to get cervical cancer? | |||
| Others in the family have it | |||
| True | 603 (53.7) | 267 (57.4) | 0.25 |
| False | 263 (23.4) | 92 (19.8) | |
| Don’t know | 257 (22.9) | 106 (22.8) | |
| Multiple sex partners | |||
| True | 518 (46.1) | 204 (43.9) | 0.62 |
| False | 306 (27.3) | 137 (29.4) | |
| Don’t know | 299 (26.6) | 124 (26.7) | |
| Not getting a Pap test done | |||
| True | 610 (54.3) | 230 (49.5) | 0.18 |
| False | 308 (27.4) | 146 (31.4) | |
| Don’t know | 205 (18.3) | 89 (19.1) | |
| Using illegal drugs | |||
| True | 168 (15.0) | 61 (13.1) | 0.63 |
| False | 606 (53.9) | 255 (54.9) | |
| Don’t know | 349 (31.1) | 149 (32.0) | |
| Smoking | |||
| True | 302 (26.9) | 134 (28.8) | 0.67 |
| False | 485 (43.2) | 191 (41.1) | |
| Don’t know | 336 (29.9) | 140 (30.1) | |
| Sex without a condom | |||
| True | 524 (46.7) | 154 (33.1) | 0.04 |
| False | 336 (29.9) | 154 (33.1) | |
| Don’t know | 263 (23.4) | 126 (27.1) | |
| Wrong diet | |||
| True | 133 (11.8) | 56 (12.0) | 0.98 |
| False | 656 (58.4) | 269 (57.9) | |
| Don’t know | 334 (29.8) | 140 (30.1) | |
| Sex early in life | |||
| True | 345 (30.7) | 99 (21.3) | 0.0006 |
| False | 416 (37.1) | 203 (43.7) | |
| Don’t know | 362 (32.2) | 163 (35.0) | |
| Weighing too much | |||
| True | 80 (7.1) | 34 (7.3) | 0.99 |
| False | 674 (60.0) | 279 (60.0) | |
| Don’t know | 369 (32.9) | 152 (32.7) | |
| Viral infection | |||
| True | 535 (47.6) | 244 (52.5) | 0.15 |
| False | 232 (20.7) | 80 (17.2) | |
| Don’t know | 356 (31.7) | 141 (30.3) | |
| Sexually transmitted diseases | |||
| True | 636 (56.6) | 258 (55.5) | 0.90 |
| False | 171 (15.2) | 74 (15.9) | |
| Don’t know | 316 (28.1) | 133 (28.6) | |
| Drinking too much alcohol | |||
| True | 111 (9.9) | 50 (10.7) | 0.54 |
| False | 657 (58.5) | 258 (55.5) | |
| Don’t know | 355 (31.6) | 157 (33.8) | |
| Oral sex | |||
| True | 132 (11.8) | 48 (10.3) | 0.71 |
| False | 629 (56.0) | 265 (57.0) | |
| Don’t know | 362 (32.2) | 152 (32.7) | |
| Abortions | |||
| True | 235 (20.9) | 98 (21.1) | 0.36 |
| False | 465 (41.4) | 176 (37.8) | |
| Don’t know | 423 (37.7) | 191 (41.1) | |
| HIV | |||
| True | 582 (51.8) | 174 (37.4) | <0.0001 |
| False | 211 (18.8) | 85 (18.3) | |
| Don’t know | 330 (29.4) | 206 (44.3) | |
| Can cervical cancer be prevented? | |||
| Yes | 594 (52.9) | 225 (48.4) | 0.21 |
| No | 129 (11.5) | 64 (13.8) | |
| Don’t know | 400 (35.6) | 176 (37.8) | |
*
T-test.
*
Kruskal–Wallis test.