Citation/Abstract

Cervical cancer mortality rates are 3.5 times higher in Chihuahua State than in Texas. Identifying risk behaviors in women living in the state of Chihuahua is important to understand what behaviors might need to be addressed through cultural relevant educational programs. My study uses a dataset collected in the summer of 2007 in a Dysplasia clinic located in Chihuahua City. This dataset provides information on six risk behaviors, two diagnostic methods of detecting cervical cancer, and women's residency by municipios. The number of live births was statistically significant in predicting cervical cancer diagnosis by Pap smear and Colposcopy. There were also differences between women living in rural and urban areas. The risk factors in the study all point to unprotected sexual behaviors suggesting that future research should seek to understand the socio-structural complexities of women's lives in both rural and urban areas.