Title : Cervical cancer screening awareness among female patients at St. Vincent’s Clinic
Abstract:
Despite cervical cancer being a leading cause of cancer mortality for women in the United States, Texas is one of the states with the lowest compliance with recommended screening exams. This project aims to identify and address specific barriers preventing women at St. Vincent’s Clinic, a freestanding clinic for underserved patient populations in Galveston, Texas, from getting a Pap smear. Women ages 21 to 65 who attended the clinic from September 2024 to October 2024 were given an initial survey to numerically rate their attitude and prior understanding of cervical cancer screening and to list the barriers that have prevented them from getting screened. We subsequently engaged them in a discussion of general facts and risk factors for cervical cancer and provided resources for free or low-cost local screening services. Participants filled out a final survey to numerically rate their new understanding of cervical cancer screening and willingness to schedule a Pap smear. We found that the majority of female patients at St. Vincent’s Clinic faced at least one barrier preventing them from getting regular screenings, and most indicated they were highly likely to schedule a Pap smear in the future following our educational intervention. Furthermore, paired t-tests showed improvement in reported levels of understanding following the intervention. Overall, this work will elucidate the barriers to cervical cancer screening affecting underserved women in Texas and increase awareness among this unique population.
