Factors Affecting the Cervical Cancer Screening Behaviors of Japanese Women in Their 20s and 30s Using a Health Belief Model: A Cross-Sectional Study

Zhengai Cui; Hiromi Kawasaki; Miwako Tsunematsu; Yingai Cui; Masayuki Kakehashi

doi:10.3390/curroncol29090494

Factors Affecting the Cervical Cancer Screening Behaviors of Japanese Women in Their 20s and 30s Using a Health Belief Model: A Cross-Sectional Study

Curr Oncol. 2022 Aug 31;29(9):6287-6302. doi: 10.3390/curroncol29090494.

Authors

Zhengai Cui¹, Hiromi Kawasaki¹, Miwako Tsunematsu¹, Yingai Cui², Masayuki Kakehashi¹

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan.
² School of Nursing, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China.

Abstract

In recent years, the incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer (CC) have increased among young women. Cervical cancer screening (CCS) is crucial to reducing the incidence and mortality of CC in a country such as Japan, where it is challenging to raise HPV vaccination rates. The purpose of this study was to identify psychological and personal characteristics relating to CCS participation among young people by using the Health Belief Model (HBM). For this cross-sectional study, an internet survey was conducted between February-March 2018. Based on HBM and personal characteristics, χ2 tests and logistic analyses were used to identify factors influencing CCS. Responses obtained from 816 women in their 20s and 30s were used in the analysis. For HBM-based psychological characteristics, the odds ratios were significantly higher for "cues to participation in screening" and "barriers to participation at the time of cancer screening", while "barriers to participation before cancer screening" showed significantly lower odds ratios. On the other hand, it was found that the presence of children and having regular health checkups affected the attributes of screening that were significant for decision-making. Therefore, it is important to create proactive measures to encourage younger women to undergo medical examinations.

Keywords: Japanese young women; a cross-sectional study; cervical cancer screening; health belief model.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Early Detection of Cancer*
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Japan
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* / diagnosis
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* / prevention & control

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Program (KAKENHI), Japan, grant number 15H04751 (to M.K.). The funders had no role in the study design, and analysis, decision to publish, or manuscript preparation.