Evaluating the effect of an educational program on increasing cervical cancer screening behavior among women in Fasa, Iran

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer and the fifth deadliest cancer among women in Iran. Educational interventions based on the proper behavior promoting models can lead to early diagnosis of cervical cancer.This study aimed to investigate the effects of educational intervention on performing Pap smear tests based on the Theory of Planned Behavior among women living in Fasa, Iran. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 700 participants. Thereafter, the educational intervention based on the results of cross-sectional study was conducted in a workshop form for 50 women as the intervention group and 50 women as the control group. Afterward, the data were entered into the SPSS statistical software and then analyzed via logistic regressions analysis, paired t test, independent t test, chi-square test, and McNemar test. RESULT: According to the results, 45.7% of the patients had a history of performing a Pap smear test, and 20.7% of them regularly performed this test. The knowledge, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were the predictors of intention and behavior of Pap smear test among the women (P < 0.05). These components accounted for 57.4% and 31.6% of the intention and behavior variances, respectively. After the intervention, a significant increase was observed in the means of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control in the intervention group compared to the control group. The results reveal no significant difference between these two groups regarding the behavioral intention (p = 0.41) and performance of the Pap smear test (p = 0.583). The number of the participants undergone the Pap smear test has increased from 10 to 26 in the intervention group by passing 3 months from the intervention. The results of McNemar test indicated that this difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The results indicated an increase in the women’s performance of the Pap smear screening test by appropriate planning, provision of educational packages based on the women’s needs, and using effective subjective norms. Trial Registration: Current Controlled Trials IRCT20160830029608N3:12/31/2018. “Retrospectively registered”.