Perhaps women do not seek annual Pap tests because they think they have already had one. Schairer et al (1991) reports that Pap education is especially critical in clinics that serve predominately low-income and minority populations, because African American, elderly, and low-income women are more likely to die from cervical cancer – presumably because they may have less access to health information.

Research has shown that women seen by nurse practitioners and lay health educators were more likely to report accurately when they had their last Pap smear.

Perhaps Nurse practitioners and lay health advisors have more time with their patients in order to explain this procedure. It seems that better communication between medical practitioners and patients could reduce the confusion over the nature of their gynecological procedures.

Women who are given a thorough explanation about Pap testing, obtain Pap tests in greater numbers and are more likely to accurately recall those tests. Educating women, especially in low-income settings, on the difference between Pap tests and other procedures may translate into a greater ability to reduce the number of lives lost to cervical cancer.

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