Lake Research Partners

1
American Social Health Association
A presentation on findings from a survey of women
ages 18-45 who have heard about a vaccine that
may protect against cervical cancer and HPV, with
oversamples of African American women ages 18-45
and mothers of daughters ages 11-17 June 2007
2
Methodology

• Lake Research Partners designed and administered
  this survey, which was conducted by phone using
  professional interviewers. The survey reached a
  total of 1,421 women nationwide, comprised of a
  base sample of 1,271 women ages 18 to 45 years,
  and oversamples of 50 African American women ages
  18 to 45 and 100 mothers of daughters ages 11 to
  17. Respondents were screened for those who have
  heard or seen anything recently about a vaccine
  that may protect against cervical cancer and HPV.
  The survey was conducted from June 5th to June
  18th, 2007.
• Telephone numbers were drawn from a listed
  sample, targeted to include households with the
  potential of having women in the desired age
  range. Data were weighted slightly by age,
  education, marital status, and race to reflect
  the attributes of this universe. The African
  American oversample was weighted into the base
  sample so that each respondent in this group
  reflects their actual contribution to the total
  population of women. The base sample was
  weighted down to 1,000 cases. The margin of
  error for the full sample of women is /-2.7.
  The margin of error among African American women
  is /-7.7 and among mothers of daughters ages 11
  to 17 it is /-5.3.

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Key Findings

• While this survey only talked to women who had
  heard of the HPV vaccine to protect against
  cervical cancer and HPV, the surprising news is
  that 90 percent of women had heard and were
  eligible to participate.

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Key Findings

• There is good news in the level of commitment
  women show toward Pap tests. They feel the test
  is important, they feel it is important to get
  regular Pap tests, and even with the vaccine they
  think it is important continue to get regular Pap
  tests.
• Women do not see the new HPV vaccine as a reason
  to discontinue Pap testing. It appears that the
  public health message of the importance of
  regular Pap tests remains despite the news of the
  vaccine.

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Key Findings Context

• Of particular interest throughout are women ages
  18-26.
• They are less likely to have had a Pap test
• More likely to think Pap tests screen for HPV

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Key Findings

• Latinas
• Do not know if HPV is sexually transmitted
• More intense in their belief that Pap tests are
  important

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Key Findings Context

• Uninsured women
• Less likely to have had a Pap test
• Less likely to say regular Pap tests are
  extremely important

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HPV Transmission and Causes
The majority of women 18-45 know that HPV is
sexually transmitted. Two-thirds of women
identify HPV as a major cause of cervical cancer.
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While the majority say HPV is sexually
transmitted, there are some misconceptions.
From what you know, would you say Human
Papillomavirus, also known as HPV, is or is not a
sexually transmitted infection or are you not
sure?
44
10
Majorities of African American and white women
think HPV is sexually transmitted, while the
majority of Latinas do not think this or are
unsure.
From what you know, would you say Human
Papillomavirus, also known as HPV, is or is not a
sexually transmitted infection or are you not
sure?
60
11
Two-thirds of women ages 18-45 see HPV as a major
cause of cervical cancer.
From what you know, please tell me if each of the
following is a major cause of cervical cancer, a
minor cause, or not a cause of cervical cancer.
Dont know
82
14
9
80
24
46
16
45
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Importance and Frequency of Getting Pap Tests

• The overwhelming majority over nine in ten
  say women should get Pap tests once a year or
  more and women ages 18-45 are nearly unanimous in
  the view that regular Pap tests are important.

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Only one in ten women ages 18-45 say they have
not gotten a Pap test within the past 3 years.
Have you gotten a Pap test within the past 3
years?
(Asked of mothers of daughters ages 11 and
older) Has your daughter gotten a Pap test within
the past 3 years?
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• Those who are least likely to have gotten a Pap
  test recently include
• 18-24 year olds (22 percent)
• Single women (19 percent)
• Those who do not have insurance (24 percent)

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Women correctly say the Pap test screens for
cervical cancer and cell changes on the cervix
both voluntarily and when given a list. Roughly
three in ten incorrectly feel Pap tests screen
for HPV, STIs, and checks the vagina.
Which of the following do you think the pap test
screens for? (Multiple responses accepted/ list
provided)
What does the Pap test screen for? (Open-end)
Additional responses 1 check if anything is
wrong 1 ovarian cancer less than 1 for
displacia, pregnancy, and tumors
Split sampled questions
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• Younger women under 30 are more likely to think
  Pap tests screen for HPV than other age groups
  (39 percent to 29 percent).

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The overwhelming majority believe women should
get Pap tests once a year or more, while only 5
percent say it should be done less often
To the best of your knowledge, how often should
women and girls get a Pap test? (open-end)
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Women are nearly unanimous in their belief that
regular Pap tests are important and intensity of
opinion is strong.
Split Sample AHow important is it for women and
girls to get regular Pap test? Split Sample B
Now let me read you something. A Pap test looks
for pre-cancerous cervical cells, often caused by
HPV, which can develop into cervical cancer.
Given this information, how important is it for
women and girls to get regular Pap tests?
Combined Responses
Split sampled questions
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• Strong majorities of women across demographic
  groups say regular Pap tests are important.
• Latinas express greater intensity than do white
  and African American women (80 percent, 73
  percent and 70 percent extremely important
  respectively).

Q22/23 combined
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The HPV Vaccine and Continued Pap Tests

• Women do not see the new HPV vaccine as a reason
  to discontinue Pap testing.

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Women do not see the new HPV vaccine as a reason
to discontinue Pap testing.
Is it your sense that after getting the vaccine,
Pap tests should be given more frequently, less
frequently, with the same frequency as before
getting the vaccine, or not at all?
Is it your sense that after getting the vaccine,
there is no longer any need to continue getting
Pap tests or do women and girls continue to need
regular Pap tests?
Split sampled questions
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• Across demographic groups, they believe women
  still need to get Pap tests and at the same
  frequency as before the vaccine.

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Informed opinions on the overall importance of
getting regular Pap tests mirror initial
attitudes.
Initial
How important is it for women and girls to get
regular Pap test? (combined)
And, after getting the vaccine, how important is
it for women and girls to get regular Pap tests
extremely important, very important, somewhat
important, a little important, or not important
at all?
Final
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• Intensity is slightly lower for women under 30
  when it comes to the importance of regular Pap
  tests
• Ages 18-24 67 percent extremely important
• 25-29 54 percent
• 30-34 74 percent
• 35-39 69 percent
• 40-45 70 percent

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Nine in ten women side with the view that because
the vaccine does not protect against all strains
of the virus, women and girls need to continue
getting regular Pap tests.
Please tell me which statement comes closer to
your point of view
Some/other people say that a woman or girl can
still get cervical cancer because the vaccine
does not protect against all of the strains of
the virus, and so she needs to keep getting
regular Pap tests.
Some/other people say that once a woman or girl
gets the HPV vaccine, her chances of developing
cervical cancer are so small that she doesnt
really need to keep getting regular Pap tests.
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Influences on Health Care Decisions
Doctors are the primary influence when making
health decisions, including decisions regarding
Pap tests, followed by nurses, family, and
friends.
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Women feel doctors are most influential when they
make health decisions, followed by nurses, family
members, and friends.
How much influence do the following people or
groups have on you when you are making health
decisions like we have been discussing for
yourself or your family a great deal of
influence, some influence, a little influence, or
no influence at all.
Split sampled questions
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They split over the degree to which womens
magazines, television, newspapers, and the
Internet hold influence on these issues, with the
Internet garnering the least influence.
How much influence do the following people or
groups have on you when you are making health
decisions like we have been discussing for
yourself or your family a great deal of
influence, some influence, a little influence, or
no influence at all.
Split sampled questions
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Similarly, women see doctors as most influential
when they make health decisions about Pap tests,
followed by nurses, family, and friends.
How much influence do the following people or
groups have on you when you are making health
decisions about Pap tests for yourself or your
family a great deal of influence, some
influence, a little influence, or no influence at
all.
Split sampled questions
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Womens magazines, TV, newspapers, and the
Internet again show significantly less influence
on Pap test decisions.
How much influence do the following people or
groups have on you when you are making health
decisions about Pap tests for yourself or your
family a great deal of influence, some
influence, a little influence, or no influence at
all.
Split sampled questions
31
American Social Health Association
A presentation on findings from a survey of women
ages 18-45 who have heard about a vaccine that
may protect against cervical cancer and HPV, with
oversamples of African American women ages 18-45
and mothers of daughters ages 11-17 June 2007