"In 2002, cervical cancer was one of the leading causes of death in Mexico. Quantitative techniques allowed for the identification of socioeconomic, behavioral and biological characteristics that are part of its etiology. However such characteristics are inadequate to explain sufficiently the role that emotions, family networks and socially-constructed categories such as gender play in the demand and utilization of health services for cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment and neither the timely undertaking of preventive actions, such as getting a PAP smear or seeking adequate and continuous treatment. This article reports on a qualitative study that was carried out to analyze the role of different social and cultural factors in the timely detection of cervical cancer..." Also available as PDF (270KB). (By: Blanca E Pelcastre Villafuerte, Laura L Tirado Gómez, Alejandro Mohar Betancourt and Malaquías López Cervantes. Reproductive Health 2007, 4:2)