Resumo

SZWARC, Lucila; ANTELO, Victoria Sánchez; PAOLINO, Melisa  e  ARROSSI, Silvina. “I felt myself getting sick:” women’s perceptions and understandings of a positive human papillomavirus test in Jujuy, Argentina. Salud colect. [online]. 2021, vol.17, e3572.  Epub 23-Ago-2021. ISSN 1669-2381.  http://dx.doi.org/10.18294/sc.2021.3572.

With the purpose of analyzing women’s perceptions and classifying their modes of understanding a positive human papillomavirus (HPV+) test, we conducted 38 in-depth interviews with women who had received an HPV diagnosis (normal and abnormal Pap smear), screened in Jujuy’s public health system in 2016. A typology based on women’s understandings of the result was developed: 1) understanding; 2) lack of understanding; a) underestimation; b) overestimation; c) confusion. The interviewees who experienced confusion over the results reported contradictory perceptions in relation to a positive HPV test and its severity; those who underestimated it tended to mention the absence of symptoms and expressed little concern over the result; while those who overestimated it considered themselves sick and described concern, narrating a biographical disruption and physical pain. These findings confirm the need to improve the delivery of results and the provision of information in order to decrease psychosocial impact and increase follow-up adherence in HPV-positive women.

Palavras-chave : Human Papillomavirus; Preventive Health Services; Communication Barriers; Diagnosis; Cervix Uteri; Argentina.

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