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    Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Jan;200(1):40.e1-7. Epub 2008 Oct 30.

    Ending cervical cancer screening: attitudes and beliefs from ethnically diverse older women.

    Sawaya GF, Iwaoka-Scott AY, Kim S, Wong ST, Huang AJ, Washington AE, Pérez-Stable EJ.

    Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA.

    OBJECTIVE: Guidelines support ending cervical cancer screening in women aged 65-70 years and older with previous normal testing, but little is known about older women's attitudes and beliefs about ending screening. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted face-to-face interviews with 199 women aged 65 and older in English, Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin. RESULTS: Most interviewees were nonwhite (44.7% Asian, 18.1% Latina, and 11.6% African American). Most (68%) thought lifelong screening was either important or very important, a belief held more strongly by African American (77%) and Latina (83%) women compared with women in other ethnic groups (P < .01). Most (77%) had no plans to discontinue screening or had ever thought of discontinuing (69%). When asked if they would end screening if recommended by their physician, 68% responded "yes." CONCLUSION: The majority of these women believe that lifelong cervical cancer screening is important. Many women, however, reported that they would end screening if recommended by their physician.

    PMID: 18976734 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

    PMCID: 2643872

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