Tailored telephone counseling to improve adherence to follow-up regimens after an abnormal pap smear among minority, underserved women.

OBJECTIVE: The present study explored the impact of a tailored telephone counseling intervention on increasing follow-up adherence after an abnormal Pap smear result among low-income, minority women, which may reduce cervical cancer disparity.

METHODS: Participants (N=211) were randomly assigned to receive: (1) a telephone reminder that included an assessment of barriers to adherence, as well as counseling tailored to the barriers elicited; (2) telephone reminder and barriers assessment, followed by a mailed home tailored barriers print brochure; or (3) enhanced standard care comprising telephone reminder and barriers assessment. Assessments were obtained at initial contact and 1-week later, as well as at 6- and 12-months after the initial colposcopy.

RESULTS: The telephone counseling group showed greater adherence to follow-up recommendations than did the combined other two groups (p<0.05). For the initial colposcopy, tailored telephone barriers counseling was more effective among women with a high school education or less.

CONCLUSION: Tailored telephone barriers counseling improves adherence to initial colposcopy, as well as to longer-term medical follow-up, among low-income, inner-city women.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Dissemination of barriers counseling into ongoing telephone reminder calls and contacts may decrease disparities in cancer outcomes, especially among women with less than post-secondary education.