"That's what happens when you sleep around" : women's intergenerational family stories about sexual health, HPV, and cervical cancer
No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Meeting name
Sponsors
Date
Journal Title
Format
Thesis
Subject
Abstract
Grounded in narrative theorizing, the current study examines how emerging adult women (n = 42) story conversations with their FFMs (e.g., mother, aunt) about sexual health, human papillomavirus, and cervical cancer, and how these conversations are related to their narrative identity, health behaviors, and attitudes. An online survey was distributed to solicit written narratives about these conversations, followed by a self-report survey of their health behaviors and efficacy. The results indicated that all types of autobiographical memory sub-systems are present in young women's narratives of sexual health conversations; and story types have a significant effect on getting a Pap smear and having HPV vaccine efficacy. Participants who wrote about a sexual health conversation with an FFM other than their mother were less likely to report getting a Pap smear. The tone of the narrative had a significant effect on relational closeness with the FFM. Findings from this study can be applied to health interventions and guide family conversations around cervical cancer prevention and treatment. Future research can build upon this study by examining these story types in other family and gender roles (e.g., father-son stories), cancer types (e.g., prostate, breast), or other chronic diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis).
Table of Contents
DOI
PubMed ID
Degree
Ph. D.