Role of Demographic and Socioeconomic Factors in Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is one of most common female genital tract malignancies leading to death. With detection and controlling the risk factors, both the incidence and mortality can be decreased. Because of socioeconomic and sexual behavior differences between Iranian society and other countries, this study was conducted to assess the role of demographic and economic factors on cervical cancer. This cross-sectional study was performed on 50 inpatients of Al-Zahra hospital with cervical cancer and 200 healthy women as control group in Tabriz city between years 2001 and 2008. Socioeconomic and demographic factors were collected by a form and data was analyzed by using U Mann-Whitney, Chi square, t-test and multivarinate logistic regression by SPSS 16 software. Cervical cancer risk increased among more than 50 years old women, (OR=1.33), women whom their husbands were smokers (OR= 1.46) and women who had husbands with low income (OR=1.32). Low aged at marriage (p=0.004), low aged at first delivery (p=0.003), parity number≥5 (p=0.000) and increased marriage number in both women and their husbands (p=0.000) were associated with increased risk of cervical cancer. History of using condom and Pap smear respectively 70% and 90%, had protective effect on cervical cancer. Considering socioeconomic and demographic characteristics which are major risk factors for cervical cancer, it is desirable to provide health and wellbeing education programs for women, particularly those in the lower socioeconomic status, to encourage them to participate in cervical cancer screening programs.