ACCURACY OF PAP SMEAR AND MAMMOGRAM SELF-REPORTS IN A SOUTHWESTERN NATIVE-AMERICAN TRIBE

The use of Pap smears and mammograms in the Native American population is not well documented and the validity of women's self-reports is un known. The purpose of this study was to examine the agreement between women's self-reports of their Pap smear and mammogram histories with t heir medical records in one Native American tribe. Two hundred fifty-o ne women between the ages of 35 and 65 answered questions regarding th eir Pap smear and mammogram histories. These women then underwent an e ducation program and one year later they again answered questions abou t their Pap smear and mammogram histories. Two hundred four of the ori ginal 251 women completed the education program and the second questio nnaire. On the first questionnaire, 51.0% of women's claims to have re ceived a Pap smear within the past 12 months were verified by the reco rd audit and 69.2% of claims of receiving a mammogram within the past 12 months were verified. On the second questionnaire, 46.7% of women w ho said they had received a Pap smear within the past 12 months had th eir claims verified by their records, and 45.2% of women's claims of r eceiving a mammogram within the past 12 months were verified. These re sults suggest that patient recall alone should not be used to determin e date of last procedure.