Psychosocial Burden of Women Who Are to Undergo Additional Diagnostic Procedures Due to Positive Screening for Cervical Cancer

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: This study aimed to evaluate psychosocial burden and its associated factors in women who were referred for additional diagnostic procedures following receipt of a positive cervical-cancer-screening smear result. <b>Methods</b>: A cross-sectional study was performed in a consecutive cohort of only women who received an abnormal Papanicolaou screening result and therefore presented to a gynecologist for additional diagnostic examinations (colposcopy/biopsy/endocervical curettage) at the Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics of the Clinical Center. Multivariate linear regression was used for data analysis, with Bonferroni correction applied for multiple comparisons. <b>Results</b>: Significant independent predictors for the occurrence of psychosocial burden-worry in women with a positive Papanicolaou screening test before diagnostic procedures were the use of oral contraceptives (β = -0.174, <i>p</i> < 0.001), alcohol consumption (β = 0.188, <i>p</i> < 0.001), anxiety (β = -0.189, <i>p</i> = 0.001), high burden of depressive symptoms (β = 0.191, <i>p</i> = 0.001) and insufficient knowledge of the meaning of the term dysplasia/precancerous (β = -0.187, <i>p</i> < 0.001), according to the multivariate linear regression. The significant independent predictor for the occurrence of psychosocial burden-satisfaction with information/support in women with a positive Papanicolaou screening test before diagnostic procedures was psychological distress (β = -0.210, <i>p</i> = 0.001). <b>Conclusions</b>: Providing information in order to improve understanding of the term dysplasia/precancerous, as well as identifying which women are at risk of psychosocial burden, may help protect against this potential harm among women who receive a positive cervical-cancer-screening result and may facilitate their intention to undergo further diagnostic procedures.