Factors Related to Cervical Cancer Screening Behavior Among Thai-Muslim Women Krabi Province*

Abstract

The objective of this survey research was to assess factors related to cervical cancer
behavior of Thai Muslim women in Krabi province. 435 married Thai Muslim women aged
between 35 and 60 years were selected for interview. Structured interview questionnaires
regarding knowledge, perception, and behavioral practices about cervical cancer, and its
screening, were used to collect data. The data was analyzed by frequency, percentage,
mean, standard deviation, Multiple Classification Analysis.
Results of the study revealed that predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors as a
whole were significantly related to the screening behavior of the sample group (p<0.05).
About 32 percent of variance of the cervical cancer screening behavior of the sample Thai
Muslim women could be explained by these three factors (R2=0.322). When each variable
was further analyzed, it was found that knowledge about cervical cancer was the best
predictor of cervical cancer screening behavior (Beta=0.38) followed by age, experience
of cervical cancer, perceived self-efficacy to seek early cervical cancer screening, social
support from family members, and privacy of the screening room at the health care center
(Beta=0.16, 0.15, 0.15, 0.12, and 0.10 respectively).