Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of women in the intervention and control group.
| Variables | Intervention group (n = 201), % |
Control group (n = 202), % |
P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | |||
|
| |||
| Mean age (years) (±SD) | 36.1 ± 8.0 | 36.5 ± 7.3 | 0.455‡ |
| Ethnicity: Malay | 85.1 | 83.2 | 0.376‡ |
| Religion: Muslim | 85.1 | 84.7 | 0.572‡ |
| Marital status: married | 98.5 | 98.5 | 1.000‡‡ |
|
| |||
| Socioeconomic status | |||
|
| |||
| Educational level | 0.939‡ | ||
| Diploma | 2.5 | 2.5 | |
| Graduate degree | 90.0 | 89.1 | |
| Master degree | 7.5 | 8.4 | |
| Mean household monthly income (MYR) (±SD) | 7967.0 ± 8068.4 | 6777.8 ± 3469.1 | 0.486∂ |
|
| |||
| Reproductive history | |||
|
| |||
| Number of pregnancies (including abortion) | 0.539‡ | ||
| 1–4 | 66.2 | 71.3 | |
| ≥5 | 21.5 | 18.8 | |
| Never pregnant | 11.9 | 9.9 | |
| Mean number of pregnancies (±SD) | 2.9 ± 2.0 | 2.9 ± 1.9 | 0.784∂ |
| Practicing contraceptive currently: yes | 30.3 | 32.7 | 0.615‡ |
| Having any genital symptoms currently: no | 82.1 | 82.7 | 0.878‡ |
| Ever had Pap test (≥3 years ago) | 34.3 | 41.6 | 0.133‡ |
| Stages of cervical screening behavior change | 0.051‡ | ||
| Precontemplation | 35.8 | 26.2 | |
| Contemplation | 43.8 | 55.4 | |
| Preparation | 20.4 | 18.3 | |
|
| |||
| Physical health | |||
|
| |||
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 0.944‡ | ||
| Normal (18.5–22.9) | 31.3 | 32.2 | |
| Underweight (<18.5) | 5.0 | 5.4 | |
| Overweight and obese (≥23) | 63.7 | 61.9 | |
| Ever smoke: no | 100.0 | 99.5 | 1.000‡‡ |
| Practice physical activity as recommended: yes | 10.9 | 9.4 | 0.609‡ |
| Perform breast self-examination monthly: yes | 45.8 | 48.0 | 0.651‡ |
| Perform mammogram as recommended | 0.202‡ | ||
| Applicable | 5.0 | 2.5 | |
| Not applicable | 67.2 | 63.4 | |
| No | 27.9 | 34.2 | |
| Had medical checkup in last 3 years: yes | 49.8 | 53.0 | 0.518‡ |
| Having any chronic diseases: yes | 19.4 | 22.8 | 0.407‡ |
|
| |||
| Social health | |||
|
| |||
| Number of marriages: once | 99.0 | 98.5 | 1.000‡‡ |
| Mean age of first marriage (years) (±SD) | 25.5 ± 2.7 | 25.9 ± 2.9 | 0.082∂ |
| Mean age of first sexual intercourse (years) (±SD) | 25.6 ± 2.5 | 26.0 ± 2.9 | 0.123∂ |
| Age of first pregnancy (years) | 0.091‡ | ||
| Never pregnant | 11.9 | 9.9 | |
| ≤25 | 34.3 | 25.7 | |
| >25 | 53.7 | 64.4 | |
| Mean age of first pregnancy (years) (±SD) | 23.2 ± 8.9 | 24.4 ± 8.6 | 0.063∂ |
| Ever had a sexual health education: yes | 34.8 | 35.6 | 0.864‡ |
| Practicing conservative methods to prevent cervical cancer: | |||
| Safe sex | 94.5 | 96.0 | 0.474‡ |
| Self-circumcised | 83.6 | 82.2 | 0.708‡ |
| Husband/partner circumcised | 86.1 | 86.6 | 0.869‡ |
| Prohibit extramarital sex | 95.5 | 96.0 | 0.796‡ |
| Having health insurance: yes | 66.2 | 70.3 | 0.413‡ |
Notes: ±SD standard deviation, ‡chi square test, ‡‡Fisher's exact test, ∂ t-test, MYR denotes Malaysian ringgit (where 1 MYR equals 3 USD).