Relationship Of Health Information Sources,Health Beliefs,Social Norms And Women’s Cervical Cancer Screening Behavior In Guangdong Province

Cervical cancer is the sixth most prevalent cancer among women in China,with the eighth highest mortality rate among female malignant cancers,making it a major cancer that endangers the health of women in China.However,there have obstacles in the advocacy process of cervical cancer screening programs in China,and there is a need to identify which health information sources are more effective in advocacy and which factors influence women’s cervical cancer screening behavior.Therefore,this study was conducted with women who visited maternal and child health centers in Guangzhou and Shantou.Guided by the integrated model of health beliefs and social norms,we analyzed the current situation of health beliefs,social norms,and cervical cancer screening behaviors of women in Guangzhou and Shantou;analyzed how different health information sources influenced the health beliefs of women in the two cities;and analyzed how health beliefs and social norms influenced the cervical cancer screening behaviors of women in the two cities.The results showed that women in Guangzhou and Shantou showed a low perceived susceptibility score and a high perceived benefit score.Internet health information sources significantly influenced the perceived self-efficacy and perceived barriers among women in Guangzhou and Shantou.Analysis of the influencing factors revealed that perceived barriers in health beliefs significantly influenced the cervical cancer screening behavior of Guangzhou women and Shantou women.Perceived descriptive norms influenced cervical cancer screening behavior among Guangzhou women,and perceived injunctive norms influenced cervical cancer screening behavior among Shantou women.Among the demographic factors,sexual status and age had significant effects on cervical cancer screening behavior among women in Guangzhou and Shantou.Based on the above findings,we should expand the target population in terms of communication groups and launch interventions in a specific community.Besides,we should focus on communication factors,enhancing women’s perceived social norms,reducing perceived barriers,and differentiating the intervention methods between Guangzhou and Shantou.Still,Internet sources and interpersonal intervention can be both used in the advocacy process.