Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Factors Predicting Pap Smear Adherence In Hiv-Infected Women: Using The Health Belief Model, Crystal L. Chapman Lambert

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Women infected with the human immunodeficiency virus are at increased risk for developing cervical cancer. Current guidelines reflect that Pap smears should be performed twice during the first year after diagnosis with HIV and annually thereafter. However, women with HIV are not obtaining Pap smears per the current guidelines. The purpose of this study was to evaluate HIV-infected women's attitudes toward cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening. The research design is an exploratory, cross-sectional, quantitative design. The sample of convenience consisted of participants recruited from two ambulatory HIV clinics in Florida. Attitudes were assessed using Champion's Health Belief Model and …