DOI: 10.4025/cienccuidsaude.v13i1.18252 Cienc Cuid Saude 2014 Jan/Mar; 13(1):90-96 _______________ * Nurse. Centro Universitário Campos de Andrade. Curitiba – PR. marinesteilo@hotmail.com ** Nurse. Expert in Public Health. Professor, Centro Universitário Campos de Andrade. Curitiba – PR. Rua Mariano Torres, 958. E-mail: gleidsonoselame@gmail.com *** Geographer. PhD in Health Geography. Professor, Centro Universitário Campos de Andrade. Curitiba – PR. E-mail: denecir.dutra@terra.com.br **** Physiotherapist. PhD in Public Health. Professor, Centro Universitário Campos de Andrade. Curitiba – PR. E-mail: borbaneves@hotmail.com FACTORS RELATED TO PARTICIPATION IN THE COLPOCYTOPATHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CERRO AZUL Marines Aparecida Teilo* Gleidson Brandão Oselame** Denecir de Almeida Dutra*** Eduardo Borba Neves**** ABSTRACT This study aims to identify the factors related to participation in the colpocytopathological examination for women aged between 25 and 64, registered at the Primary Family Health Care Unit, in the municipality of Cerro Azul, state of Paraná, Brazil, in June and July 2012. A descriptive research survey of the exploratory descriptive type was carried out, using semi-structured interviews with open and closed questions for collection of data. The data was analysed by simple statistics and content analysis. The sample consisted of 81 women, of whom 54 (66.6 %) were able to highlight the importance of the exam. Regarding the frequency of the examination, 39 (48 %) women have the test annually while 12 women (15%) have never had the test at all. When asked why they rarely or never had the examination performed, most people said it was due to shame in being exposed to the health professional (65.51% of the respondents). It was also observed that fear of the result of the colpocytological examination and shame in being exposed were the main factors that influenced the women’s decisions about whether or not to be subjected to the examination. Keywords: Neoplasms of the Cervix. Pap (Papanicolaou) test. Women's Health. INTRODUCTION Cancer of the cervix takes between 10 and 20 years to develop and expresses itself through intra-epithelial changes which could develop into a malignant neoplasm. In this way, it can be understood that the illness can be avoidad through prevention and early diagnosis (1) . The risk factors for cancer of the cervix are related to early start of sexual activity, infection with Human Papillomavirus (HPV), multiple sexual partners, precocious pregnancy, cigarette smoking, use of oral contraceptives and low social and economic level (2) . An important tool in diagnosis of cervical cancer is the colpocytopathological exam created by Greek physician Georgios Nikolaou Papanikolau in 1923, which later became known as the preventive test or the Pap Test, and which was developed to identify malignant or pre- malignantb cells obtained in the region of the external orifice of the cervix and the vaginal channel (3) . This examination is simple, painless, efficient and easy to perform, being acclaimed internationally. Its regular use reduces the death rate of women from cervical cancer by up to 70%. (1) As shown by the National Cancer Institute (Instituto Nacional do Câncer - INCA), cancer of the cervix is the second most common cancer among Brazilian women, having been the cause of 5,063 deaths in 2009, being the fourth largest cause of death among Brazilian women. In 2013, it has been estimated that 17,540 new cases of the disease have been diagnosed (4) . In the current social context, the secondary prevention of cancer of the cervix has been centralised on tracking sexually active women by means of the colpocytological test. This test was adopted for tracking in many countries back in the 1950s, to identify pre-cancerous lesions that, if treated, reduce the occurrence of the invading cancer and, as a result, the mortality from cancer of the cervix (4) . Brazil was one of the first countries to use the colpocytopathological test in the state health network, but the women who have benefited are still only a small percentage of the female population, with cover not exceeding 8% of