The Effect of an Educational Program Based on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) in Adopting Preventive Behaviors from Uterine Cervical Neoplasm among Women Referring to Health Centers in Torbat Heydariyeh City

Abstract

Introduction: One of the cancers that endangers women's health is cervical cancer which can be fatal due to the lack of significant symptoms. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of an educational program based on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) in adopting preventive behaviors from uterine cervical neoplasm among Women Referring to Health Centers in Torbat Heydariyeh city. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 200 women with average age of 30/62 (intervention 100 and control 100) referred to Torbat Heydariyeh city health centers by random cluster sampling method from October 2019 to May 2020.The data collection tools were researcher-made questionnaires based on PMT, and its validity and reliability were reviewed and confirmed. Pre-test was also performed for both groups. Based on the results of the pre-test, need assessment was done. The educational intervention was performed for case group as lecture, pamphlet, Power Point presentation and question and answer in three 90-minute sessions. Post-test was performed after three month using the same questionnaire for both groups. The collected data were analyzed by independent t-test, paired t-test, and Pearson and chi square using SPSS software v22. Results: Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between control and experimental groups(p<0/05)regarding the mean score of constructs of the PMT. After the intervention, however, there was a significant difference in the mean scores of all the constructs of PMT in the two groups (self-efficacy p=0/001, response cost p=0/001, response efficiency p=0/001, perceived vulnerability p=0/007, fear p=0/001, perceived intensity p=0/01, motivation p=0/002 and behavior p=0/001). Conclusion: The study results revealed effectiveness of educational intervention based on PMT in promoting Pap smear screening behavior. The rate of doing pap smear test in the experimental group increased to 56% in the intervention group. Therefore, the authors recommend designing educational interventions based on this theory to promote public health, especially for women.