Cancer screening behaviors among Canadian women living with physical disabilities

Objective: To report the prevalence and factors associated with ever having had a Papanicolaou (Pap) test or pelvic examination among Canadian women with physical disabilities and the barriers to having the tests. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: General community. Participants: Convenience sample of 1095 women between the ages of 18 to 93 completed the survey. The most frequently reported health conditions were musculoskeletal (44%), neurologic (17%), and sensory (13%). Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Outcomes included prevalence of ever having a Pap test or pelvic examination and odds ratios of having the tests. Results: Prevalence of ever having a Pap test was 90% and 91% for a pelvic examination. The most common barriers to the screening tests were "not being sexually active," "my doctor told me I do not need one," and "the exam table is too high/narrow." Conclusions: Although the prevalence of ever having a Pap test or pelvic examination was at or above 90%, women with physical disabilities need further education on the necessity and benefits of having regular cancer screening behaviors, especially among those who may not be sexually active. Further research is also required into why these women are informed that they do not require cancer screening tests.