Informational needs and the experiences of women with abnormal Papanicolaou smears.

Purpose: To describe the experience of women with abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears with a particular focus on their informational needs.

Data Source: The small purposive sample consisted of 10 demographically diverse women with a history of at least one abnormal Pap smear, who attended one Women's Health outpatient clinic that typically serves a multiethnic, low-income population. Individual 30- to 60-min tape-recorded interviews were conducted, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed according to Colaizzi's eidetic method of phenomenological analysis.

Hawaii cohort study of serum micronutrient concentrations and clearance of incident oncogenic human papillomavirus infection of the cervix.

The degree to which the resolution of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection parallels exposure to other factors, particularly those related to nutritional status, is a relatively unexplored area of research. We established a cohort of women for long-term follow-up to examine the association of serum retinol, carotenoid, and tocopherol concentrations with the clearance of incident cervical HPV infection. Interviews and biological specimens were obtained at baseline and at 4-month intervals.

Anal human papillomavirus infection in women and its relationship with cervical infection.

Human papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer, is also associated with the development of anal cancer. Relatively little is known about the epidemiology of anal HPV infection among healthy females and its relationship to cervical infection. We sought to characterize anal HPV infection in a cohort of adult women in Hawaii.

Evidence for practice: oral contraception and risk of cervical cancer.

Purpose: The issue of continued oral contraceptive use among women with abnormal Pap smears may be controversial due to reported evidence of an increased risk of cervical cancer among long term oral contraceptive users. This article reviews the evidence concerning oral contraception and cervical cancer risk. The role of Human Papilloma virus (HPV) and proposed mechanisms for the development of cervical cancer are explained.

The Association of Plasma Micronutrients with the Risk of Cervical Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance (ASCUS).

Little is known about factors that favor the development of cervical atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), nor how these factors might affect the pathogenesis of cervical neoplasia. The primary focus of this case-control study among the multiethnic population of Hawaii was to identify biomarkers of diet in the recent past that may influence the risk of ASCUS, after carefully accounting for the presence of HPV DNA. Cases included 185 women with ASCUS and 191 cytologically-normal controls diagnosed between 1992 and 1996 from three clinics in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Association of Plasma Micronutrients with the Risk of Cervical Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance (ASCUS).

Little is known about factors that favor the development of cervical atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), nor how these factors might affect the pathogenesis of cervical neoplasia. The primary focus of this case-control study among the multiethnic population of Hawaii was to identify biomarkers of diet in the recent past that may influence the risk of ASCUS, after carefully accounting for the presence of HPV DNA. Cases included 185 women with ASCUS and 191 cytologically-normal controls diagnosed between 1992 and 1996 from three clinics in Honolulu, Hawaii.