Sociocultural Aspects of Cervical Cytology in Alameda County, Calif.

Abstract

WHILE investigating the methodology of data collection for epidemiologic studies in Alameda County, Calif., during the spring of 1962, information was assembled on the use of cervical cytology by women residents of the county.The methodological findings will be reported elsewhere.The extent to which Ala¬ meda County women know about and use the cytologic test for cancer is analyzed here.Par¬ ticular attention is given to ethnic and social class factors in use of the test, the influences to which women attribute their having had the test, and the effect of various arrangements for obtaining medical care on the extent of cervical cytology.In view of the generally acknowl- edged importance of cervical cytology in pre- venting deaths from cancer of the cervix, it seems desirable to consider such elements in order to focus further efforts on the use of cytology where they can be most effective.Alameda County, on the east side of San Francisco Bay, is mainly an urban and sub- urban community.The 1960 population was 908,209, about 23 percent greater than the pop¬ ulation in 1950.Its age, racial, and social com- position, as well as its generally high standard of medical care, is much like that of California as a whole.An area probability sample was selected, and enumeration of persons was successfully com¬ pleted in 97 percent of the occupied housing units.Of the 1,037 women 20 years of age and over so enumerated, 946 (91 percent) gave in¬ formation for the study.Comparison of the study group with the fe- male population of Alameda County as de¬ scribed in the 1960 census revealed close corre- spondence in age, race, nativity, and social characteristics.