Effect of Motivational Interviewing and Motivational Phone Call on Performing Pap Smear: A Quasi experimental study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Since regular conduction of screening tests largely depends on motivational factors, this study was designed to compare the effect of motivational interviewing (MI) and motivational phone call on performing a Pap smear. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 150 eligible women who referred to selected health centers of Tabriz, 2019. At the beginning of the study, the participants filled the demographics form and a checklist of change stages. Using random blocking with block sizes of six and nine with the allocation ratio of 1:1:1, the participants were divided into three groups. The MI group participated in three group motivational interviews of 45-60 min and the motivational phone call group received three 20 to 30 min phone calls once a week. The control group received verbal recommendations to perform Pap smear. Two months after the intervention, the participants filled out the checklist of change stages again. The data were statistically analyzed using chi-square test, the test of homogeneity, as well as sequential logistic regression via the generalized estimating equations (GEE). Findings: The findings suggested that 32% women in the MI group, 22% in motivational phone call group, and 4% in control group performed a Pap smear following the intervention. There was a significant difference between the three groups according to the chi-square test (P=0.002) but the difference between MI and motivational phone call group was not statistically significant (P=0.368). Conclusion: Both MI and motivational phone call were effective in motivating women to perform a Pap smear. Since there was no significant difference between these two groups in performing a Pap smear and considering the cost-effectiveness and simplicity of motivational phone call compared to face to face MI, health centers are recommended to utilize motivational phone call to encourage screening behaviors in women.