Title:Risk Factors Associated with Cervical Cancer: A Matched Case-control
Study
Volume: 20
Issue: 5
Author(s): Mansoureh Refaei, Zahra Cheraghi, Farzaneh Soltani and Batoul Khodakarami*
Affiliation:
- Department of Midwifery and Reproductive health, Mother and Child Care Research Center, School of
Nursing and Midwifery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
Keywords:
Cervical cancer, risk factors, case-control study, hormonal contraceptive pills, economic status, women.
Abstract:
Background: One of the most effective ways to prevent cervical cancer is to identify the
risk factors for the disease.
Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine the risk factors for cervical cancer in women
in Iran.
Methods: This was a matched case-control study. 105 participants (35 patients with cervical cancer
and 70 healthy women) were selected from the registered patients and women attending a women’s
specialized hospital in Hamadan, Iran. One case was matched to 2 controls by age (±3 years). Demographic
and clinical data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Conditional multivariate
logistic regression model and STATA 11 software were used for data analysis.
Results: The mean age of women in the case and control group were 58.02(12.32) and 58.11(12.25)
years (p = 0.486), respectively. Patients had lower education levels (p = 0.037), lower economic status
(p˂0.001), and lower spouse education levels (p = 0.009). The results showed OCP users were 8.79
times more likely to develop cervical cancer than women who do not use OCP (p = 0.007), and the
probability of cervical cancer in women increased by 8.33 times (<0.001) with decreasing each level
of socio-economic status.
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed low economic status, and a history of using oral
contraceptive pills are risk factors for cervical cancer.
