Women's preferences for providers of and settings for Pap smears
Thompson, M.; Nussbaum, R.
Journal of the American Medical Women's Association 56(1): 11-14
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0098-8421 PMID: 11202065 Document Number: 539924
To gauge women's flexibility in receiving Pap smears from someone other than their regular gynecologists, specifically, their general physicians. A random sample of 500 English-speaking women members (age 18-80) of Kaiser Permanente completed a 20-minute telephone survey (72% response rate). Ten focus groups and 75 in-person interviews gathered qualitative information. Approximately half the surveyed women would see an unfamiliar gynecologist for a Pap smear (48%) and did not have a preference for the gender of the clinician (53%). Most women (72%) were open to seeing nurse practitioners if their regular gynecologists were not available. Although few women (26%) were initially positive about receiving Pap smears in their general medical clinics, half (45%) said they would prefer that to waiting for an appointment in gynecology. Interest was especially high (52%) among women with female rather than male internists or family practitioners (33%). Redesign efforts must emphasize choice in Pap smear delivery in order to increase convenience while respecting preferences for the existing system.