Factors associated with receiving andknowing the results of the Pap test amongwomen aged 25 to 64 years in Peru

Abstract

Introduction: The determinants of undergoing a Pap smear have been widely studied; however, few studies have analyzed the factors influencing the receipt and understanding of Pap smear results. Specifically in Peru, this issue has not been explored at the population level. Objectives: To identify the factors associated with not receiving and not knowing the results of the Pap smear test in women in Peru.
Materials and methods: Cross-sectional, analytical study based on data from the
Peruvian Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES, 2023). Women aged 25-64 years who had a Pap test in the last three years were included. Sociodemographic and household characteristics associated with receiving and knowing the results of the Pap smear test were evaluated. The association was analyzed using crude and multivariable analyses, and adjusted prevalence ratios with their respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated. Results: 7,342 women were included, 84.9% received or knew the results of the test. The probability of knowing the results was higher among women in the richest quintile (aPR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.01–1.14) compared to those in the poorest quintile, and among those residing in urban areas (aPR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.01–1.11) compared to rural areas. Conclusions: 15% of women who underwent a Pap smear in the past three years did not receive or were not
informed of the results. Further studies are needed that consider other variables
that may affect the receipt and awareness of Pap smear results.