Saudi Women's Knowledge and Attitude toward Cervical Cancer Screening, Treatment, and Prevention: A Cross-Sectional Study in Qassim Region (2018-2019)

Awareness and knowledge of human papillomavirus, vaccine acceptability and cervical cancer among college students in Saudi Arabia

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection among teenagers and young adults. HPV vaccination and screening are vital preventive measures to reduce the incidence of HPV-related complications, including cervical cancer. Given the rising global incidence of cervical cancer, understanding the factors influencing awareness and knowledge among young adults in Saudi Arabia is essential for developing effective prevention strategies. This study investigates the levels of awareness, knowledge, and vaccine acceptability regarding HPV and cervical cancer among college students in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and September 2023 among 442 students in Saudi Arabia using a structured questionnaire to assess their knowledge and awareness of HPV, HPV vaccination, and cervical cancer. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the associations between predictor and dependent variables. Among participants, 54.1% were aware of HPV, and 66.5% had heard of cervical cancer. However, only 17% correctly identified HPV16 and HPV18 as high-risk genotypes for cervical cancer. Awareness of the HPV vaccine was reported by 36.2% of participants, with just 10% having received the vaccine. Female students exhibited significantly higher knowledge levels than males (p = .018). The primary barrier to vaccination was identified as a lack of education and awareness (80.1%). The study highlights a significant gap in knowledge and awareness regarding HPV, its vaccine, and cervical cancer among college students in Saudi Arabia. Targeted educational programs and awareness campaigns are essential to enhance understanding and promote preventive practices, including vaccination and regular screening.

Low uptake of Pap test as a cervical cancer screen among Saudi women: Findings from a national survey

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to assess the current knowledge and uptake of Papanicolaou (Pap) tests for cervical screening among Saudi women, including barriers to undergoing the test and the availability of related services.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a health questionnaire administered through the Absher portal between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020. The questionnaire consisted of five questions and took less than 5 min to complete. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze demographic variables, and chi-square tests were used to examine the association between these variables and Pap test uptake.

RESULTS

The questionnaire included 8194 Saudi women, with the majority from Makkah (24.40%), Riyadh (21.92%), and Eastern (14.44%) regions. Only 22.52% of respondents had ever received a Pap test, and among them, 17.48% did so based on their physician's recommendation. Private clinics accounted for 10.73% of Pap test locations, while public clinics accounted for 8.97%. The primary reasons for not undergoing the test were lack of knowledge regarding its importance (40.24%) and lack of information from physicians (16.96%). Knowledge of the Pap test as a cervical screening method was significantly associated with marital status, Saudi region, and age group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed low awareness of the Pap test for cervical screening among Saudi women, particularly in younger age groups. Targeted educational initiatives are essential to increase awareness and emphasize the significance of regular screenings, especially among younger individuals, to enhance early detection and reduce the burden of cervical cancer in Saudi Arabia.

Barriers and Enablers of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Saudi Women

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is a significant global health issue, with low screening uptake rates in many regions, including Saudi Arabia. This study sought to understand the barriers and enablers of cervical cancer screening among Saudi women, particularly in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES

To identify barriers and enablers influencing cervical cancer screening uptake among Saudi women.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, among 418 Saudi women aged 21-65. A questionnaire collected data on demographics, reproductive health, service utilization, and attitudes toward cervical cancer screening. Statistical tests such as the chi-square test and Mann-Whitney test were used for inferential analyses to determine significance, with a p-value of less than 0.05 considered significant.

RESULTS

 The study identified significant factors influencing cervical cancer screening uptake, including age, marital status, and household monthly income (p<0.001, p<0.001, and p=0.018, respectively). Health conditions such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and miscarriage history also showed significant associations with screening uptake (p<0.001, p=0.009, and p<0.001, respectively). Additionally, the availability of screening services and encouragement from healthcare providers were linked to higher screening rates (p<0.001 and p=0.006, respectively). However, perceived benefits, barriers, susceptibility, and seriousness were not significantly associated with screening uptake (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The study identified several demographic and healthcare service utilization factors influencing cervical cancer screening uptake among Saudi women. These findings can be instrumental in informing public health measures, awareness campaigns, and healthcare policies aimed at increasing cervical cancer screening rates in Saudi Arabia.

Knowledge of cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV), and acceptance of the HPV vaccine among parents of daughters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is the eighth most prevalent cancer among women nationwide, with 358 new cases reported annually. One of the strategies to prevent it is getting vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), the leading cause of this cancer.

METHODS

A survey-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to evaluate the acceptance of the HPV vaccine among parents of daughters and their knowledge of three domains: cervical cancer, HPV, and the HPV vaccine.

RESULTS

390 parents participated in the study, with 88.2% female, 39.74% of the participants aged between 36-62 years old, and 62.56% holding a bachelor's degree or above. Parents were more aware of cervical cancer (78.97%), followed by HPV (50%) and the HPV vaccine (41.28%). Awareness levels about cervical cancer were significantly different among males and females, while awareness of HPV and the HPV vaccine was significantly associated with parents' education levels. For instance, parents with a bachelor's degree or higher (54.9%) demonstrated greater awareness of HPV compared to parents with a high school diploma (41.9%) or a middle school diploma or less (41.5%). The overall participants' knowledge scores in all three domains were poor, with an average below 50%. 60% of parents believed their daughters should receive the HPV vaccine.

CONCLUSION

More than half of the study participants are willing to vaccinate their daughters with the HPV vaccine despite their poor knowledge of the assessed domains. Awareness levels of HPV and the HPV vaccine are associated with education levels. We believe raising awareness among parents is necessary to improve the acceptance level of the HPV vaccine.

Prevalence and Predictive Factors of Cervical Cancer Screening in Saudi Arabia: A Nationwide Study

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer, despite being preventable, is one of the most prevalent cancers among females globally and in Saudi Arabia. The literature demonstrated that, unlike global trends, cervical cancer incidence in Saudi Arabia is increasing. In addition to that, a high proportion of it is discovered in advanced stages. This state of late discovery was attributed to the absence of efficient preventive and screening programs. Observing the scale of the preventable morbidities and mortalities that can be caused by cervical cancer and the efforts and costs that are positioned to fight cervical cancer across the globe and the current ambiguity in the cervical cancer screening prevalence in Saudi Arabia brings the realization of the importance of conducting a study that properly explores the status of cervical cancer screening in Saudi Arabia.

AIM

This study aims to measure the prevalence and the predictive factors for cervical cancer screening among adult women who were previously sexually active in Saudi Arabia, as well as explore the participants' knowledge and attitude toward cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.

METHODS

This study was a nationwide cross-sectional study conducted in Saudi Arabia between September 2023 and November 2023 on adult Saudi females between the ages of 21 and 65 years who were previously sexually active and did not undergo a hysterectomy. Data were collected through a convenience sampling technique where a self-administered survey was established and disseminated to the targeted population all over the country with the assistance of data collectors. Cervical cancer screening prevalence and screening predictive factors were measured. Factors associated with cervical cancer screening and knowledge of cervical cancer were tested using a chi-square test, an independent t-test, and an ANOVA test. Multivariate logistic regression was also used to determine predictors of cervical cancer screening.

RESULTS

The study included 2,337 participants. The prevalence of cervical cancer screening among Saudi females was observed to be 22.1%. The most commonly reported reason for not undergoing cervical cancer screening was that it was never recommended by a physician, as reported by 42.4%. Only 7.6% reported taking the HPV vaccine. The majority of the participants (84.1%) had a low knowledge level about cervical cancer. The multivariate logistic regression model revealed that the following factors were observed to be significantly predictive of undergoing cervical cancer screening: being 46-59 years of age (74% increase rate), having an income greater than 20,000 Saudi Riyals (SRs) (158% increase rate), having a history of gynecological problems (152% increase rate), knowing someone who underwent cervical cancer screening (393% increase rate), and receiving a recommendation from a healthcare practitioner to undergo cervical cancer screening (1300% increase rate).

CONCLUSION

There are clearly low rates of cervical cancer screening and even lower rates of uptake for the HPV vaccine, which are the prevention measures for cervical cancer. National initiatives and programs that promote HPV vaccine uptake and regular cervical cancer screening are highly recommended to minimize the morbidity and mortality of cervical cancer.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Cervical Cancer Prevention and Screening among Female Pharmacy Students at a Public University in a Southern Region of Saudi Arabia

Despite the availability of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and screening facilities at various health centers in Saudi Arabia, the annual death rate due to cervical cancer is high. Therefore, knowledge and awareness are essential for self-care and educating others, particularly among healthcare students. The present descriptive, cross-sectional study explored female pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to cervical cancer. A total of 140 students participated in the survey. The survey was conducted for the period between April 2022 to September 2023. We observed a good knowledge score and positive attitudes among 8.5% and 93.5% of participants, respectively. A total of 10% of the study participants reported good practice scores. Most participants had never been screened for cervical cancer (94.3%). Among the non-screened subjects, feeling healthy and lacking information were the participants' significant reasons for not screening for cervical cancer. A positive history of cancer related to smoking significantly impacted the knowledge score (p = 0.050). The current study reveals that healthcare awareness programs for cervical cancer and HPV vaccination are necessary at the level of educational institutions to improve public health.

Knowledge, Perception, and Acceptance of HPV Vaccination and Screening for Cervical Cancer among Saudi Females: A Cross-Sectional Study

Cervical cancer (CC) ranks as the eighth most prevalent malignancy in Saudi Arabian women of all ages. This cross-sectional study intends to assess women's knowledge, perceptions, and acceptance concerning HPV vaccination and CC screening in Saudi Arabia as well as the contributing variables to women's screening and vaccine acceptability. Data were collected between 1 April 2023 and 30 May 2023 through online questionnaires. Out of 421 responses, 70% of the studied sample had fair knowledge, and 30% had good knowledge related to cervical cancer screening and vaccine. Only 1.9% of the participants had a positive perception, while 41% of the participants had a negative perception toward cervical cancer screening and vaccine. A total of 38% of the participants were fearful of the side effects of the vaccine, while 22.2% doubted the effectiveness of the vaccine. Acceptance was much better correlated with perception (Rho = 0.47) than with knowledge (Rho = 0.177). However, this correlation remains weak. We conclude that Saudi women still have a poor understanding or impression of cervical cancer and prevention methods. Fear of the vaccination's negative effects and skepticism about the effectiveness of the vaccine/screening have recently been the most often-mentioned hurdles to vaccine uptake.

Awareness, Knowledge, Perceptions, and Attitudes towards Familial and Inherited Cancer

Background and Objectives: In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 9.9 million deaths from cancer, with a mortality rate of 10.65%. Early detection of cancer can decrease mortality and increase the chance of cure. In Saudi Arabia, multiple studies were performed for awareness and attitudes toward cancer, but few studies evaluated the awareness of familial and inherited cancers. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational survey of the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of Saudi women toward familial and inherited cancers. The estimated sample size was 385. Questionnaires were distributed through social media platforms from 1 January 2021 to 22 January 2021. Results: Of the 385 participants, the majority have a bachelor’s degree. More than half (68.9%) know that family history is related to cancer, and approximately 57.2% are aware of genetic testing. The most common indication of genetic testing is premarital testing (18.5%). An inverse relationship is noted between the awareness of familial and inherited cancers and age (p = 0.003, CI = 0.723−0.938). However, awareness of inherited and familial cancer is positively associated with awareness of the association of genetic mutation to cancer (p = 0.013, CI = 1.080−1.921) and knowledge about genetic testing (p > 0.000, CI = 2.487−8.426). Conclusions: Our results reveal that Saudi women, especially older adults, have suboptimal knowledge about inherited and familial cancers, and poor attitudes toward genetic screening. We recommend increasing public awareness regarding risk factors and screening for inherited and familial cancers.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices toward cervical cancer and screening among sexually active Saudi females visiting a primary care center in Saudi Arabia

Background/Aim

Women's knowledge of cervical cancer (CC) and awareness of screening procedures are important to improve adherence and reduce mortality. This study was conducted to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward cervical cancer and screening among sexually active Saudi females visiting a primary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study among sexually active Saudi females who visited the primary care center of our institution using a self-administered survey questionnaire between July and December 2020.

Results

Six hundred and one Saudi women participated in the survey with a mean age of 34.0 ± 10.8 years. Three in four women (75.7%) were aware of cervical cancer and 325 (54.1%) believed that doing a Paps smear helped them diagnose and prevent CC. However, 479 participants (79.7%) do not see the need to go for CC screening (n = 199, 41.5%) and 113 (23.6%) had not heard of Paps smear screening. There were 109 women (18.1%) who has good knowledge of cervical cancer and screening and 492 women (81.9%) had poor knowledge.

Conclusion

There was a high proportion of women with poor knowledge and awareness about cervical cancer and screening. Most women do not feel the need to undergo screening. Primary care physicians and healthcare providers should revisit the implementation of policies or information dissemination of programs and materials to increase awareness and knowledge for cervical cancer screening and vaccination throughout primary healthcare centers.

Knowledge and Awareness of Algerian Students about Cervical Cancer, HPV and HPV Vaccines: A Cross-Sectional Study

Cervical cancer is one of the most recurrent and dangerous female cancers in Algeria and worldwide. It is mainly caused by human papillomaviruses (HPV), which can induce other cancers as well. Although it can be fatal, cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and manageable cancers. While HPV vaccination is the key weapon to win the battle against this pathology, it is still not approved in Algeria. Therefore, we set up a cross-sectional survey to assess the knowledge and awareness of students from Algerian universities concerning cervical cancer and HPV and to understand their attitudes towards HPV vaccination. The results reveal that, out of 715 students, the majority of students were aware of cervical cancer (84.6%). However, only 46.2% of students had heard about HPV. Furthermore, willingness to get the HPV vaccine was estimated at 26.7% among students with prior knowledge of HPV, and 21.5% of these students claimed to be willing to pay to get the HPV vaccine if available. Nevertheless, HPV vaccine hesitancy was estimated at 37.5% among the students aware of HPV. The main causes of HPV vaccine reluctance were: complacency (30.6%), refusal of vaccination in general (20.2%) and belief in the rarity of HPV-induced infections in Algeria (19.4%). Moreover, the embrace of vaccine conspiracy beliefs among students were significantly related with their HPV vaccine rejection. Overall, these findings encourage the establishment of a social education policy concerning the fight against HPV-induced cancers, particularly that of the cervix, and the implementation of a national HPV vaccination program targeting young people.

Cervical Cancer-related Knowledge and Practice among Omani Women Attending a Family Medicine and Public Health Clinic

Objectives

This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and screening practices related to cervical cancer and Papanicolaou (Pap) smear testing among Omani women who were visitors to a family medicine and public health (FMPH) clinic. A secondary aim was to correlate the above with the subjects' sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was carried out from February 2020 to April 2021 at the FMPH Clinic of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat. A self-administered questionnaire assessed the participants' sociodemographic characteristics, cervical cancer-related risk factors, and their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to cervical cancer, cervical cancer screening, and Pap smear testing.

Results

The participants were 285 Omani women. The vast majority (256/285; 89.8%) had heard about cervical cancer and 208/285 (73.0%) about Pap smear testing. Only 32/285 (11.2%) and 179/285 (62.8%) demonstrated high levels of knowledge in the respective topics. Cervical cancer knowledge scores were associated with education level (p =0.039), whether the qualification was related to healthcare (p < 0.001), and the nature of employment (p =0.033). Pap smear knowledge scores were also associated with age (p =0.001), education level (p < 0.001), whether the qualification was related to healthcare (p < 0.001), the nature of employment (p =0.001), and number of children (p =0.001). Most women were aware of the availability of Pap smear testing in Oman (206/285; 72.3%) and 114/285 (40.0%) had previously undergone this test. Among those who had never undertaken Pap smear testing (171/285; 60.0%), many were willing to do so in the future (103/171; 60.2%).

Conclusions

Our results provide an increased understanding of Omani women's level of perceptions, attitudes, and screening practices related to cervical cancer. These findings will help develop strategies to improve Omani women's knowledge of cervical cancer symptoms and screening facilities and promote optimum utilization of the available screening services.

Keywords

Cervical Cancer; Papanicolaou Test; Cancer Screening; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Human Papilloma Virus; Oman.

Knowledge, attitudes, and perception toward human papillomavirus among health profession students: A cross-sectional study in King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences

BACKGROUND

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the major risk factor for cervical cancer (CC) in women of reproductive age. Despite advances in treatment and prevention of CC by HPV vaccination, very few women utilize them because of a lack of awareness about HPV.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted this cross-sectional study among Health Professions Students (HPS) at King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah. Data were collected using a predesigned and validated study questionnaire to assess the knowledge, attitude, and perception of HPS toward HPV.

RESULTS

A total of 580 HPS responded to the survey; 128 (22.1%) were male, while 452 (77.9%) were female with the mean age ± standard deviation 20.36 ± 1.74 years. There was no significant difference between males and females related to screening of HPV and CC (82.8%; 82.3%). A minority (30.3%) of participants thought that HPV infection leads to CC, while 38.3% did not know about it. Furthermore, knowledge about HPV screening and vaccination was poor.

CONCLUSIONS

Students from the college of medicine had more knowledge and awareness about HPV (34.9%, P < 0.001). Thus, it is important to implement effective education programs, curricular activities, and awareness campaigns for health professions to augment the learning process effectively.

Cervical Cancer Screening Uptake and Predictors Among Women in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

INTRODUCTION

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers among females, contributing to significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. These numbers have significantly decreased since the implementation of cervical cancer screening. Despite that, screening in many countries, including Saudi Arabia, remains suboptimal.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted between May to November 2021 among 385 women aged 21-65 years who live in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The data were collected using a four-part online survey: demographic characteristics, cervical cancer screening status, predictors of undergoing cervical cancer screening, and barriers to screening.

RESULTS

Among the 385 women who completed the survey, only around one-third (33.4%) had a Pap smear at some point in their lives. The factors that were found to be significantly associated with the screening status (having a Pap test) in the univariate analysis are increasing age, education level, monthly income, perceived risk of getting cervical cancer, source of information about Pap test, having a family doctor, recommendation by the family doctor to have a Pap test, undergoing a gynecological examination, visiting a gynecologist in the past, history of previous gynecological complaint, and history of abortion. In the multivariable analysis, only four factors were found to be significantly associated with the screening status: age, monthly income, undergoing a gynecological examination in the past, and the recommendation by the family doctor, which by far had the largest effect.

CONCLUSION

Cervical cancer screening rate is relatively low in the city of Jeddah. The recommendation of a Pap test by the family doctor had the largest impact on screening status. These results support the important role of family physicians in promoting screening tests for preventive healthcare. The results also suggest the need for education programs to promote cervical cancer screening among women in Saudi Arabia.

Awareness and Practices Related to Cervical Cancer among Females in Saudi Arabia

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the most common risk factor for cervical cancer. Cervical cancer can be prevented with vaccination and early screening methods using pap smears. However, the acceptance of these approaches can be affected by the awareness level of the population. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess knowledge and practices related to cervical cancer among women in the Al Madinah Province in Saudi Arabia. A total of 1489 responses were included in the analysis. The median awareness score related to cervical cancer was eight out of 20 points. Vaginal bleeding, dyspareunia, and leg pain were correctly identified by 79.8%, 43.7%, and 19.3% of the women, respectively. Thirty-four percent of the study sample knew that the sexually transmitted virus is a risk factor for cervical cancer. Only 44.6% were able to correctly identify pap smear as a screening tool, and 12.6% knew that there was a HPV vaccine. This study revealed a low to moderate awareness level toward cervical cancer, pap smear, and HPV vaccine. Thus, awareness campaigns are urgently needed to increase the awareness level for early detection and prevention of the disease.

Cervical Cancer and Human Papillomavirus Awareness among Women in Saudi Arabia

Background and Objectives: Cervical cancer (CC) is the eighth most common cancer among Saudi women of all ages. With limited national data, we aimed to evaluate the public awareness of cervical cancer, CC risk factors, HPV infection, and HPV vaccines in different regions of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This was a survey-based cross-sectional study that encompassed 564 Saudi women over a period of a month. A self-administrated questionnaire was distributed through different social media platforms. Results: The collected data included sociodemographic variables and questions assessing awareness of CC, and the attitudes toward CC screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Most respondents were aware of CC (84.0%), although their primary source of information was the internet. However, only 45 females (8.0%) had a history of cervical screening. Furthermore, most females did not know that HPV was transmitted sexually (78.9%), or that it caused genital warts (81.7%) and CC (81.9%). Regarding the HPV vaccine, 100 females (17.7%) had heard about it, but only 11 (2.0%) took the vaccine, although more than half of the respondents (54.1%) were willing to take the vaccine after being informed about it. Conclusions: We noticed a remarkable lack of awareness among the respondents regarding HPV's clinical implications; and the HPV vaccine, and its importance and availability. The main source of information for most of the Saudi women in this study was the internet, which may be an unreliable source, or provide misleading information that may delay screening or discourage vaccination. Thus, organized campaigns by the Ministry of Health or other health-advocating agencies, in addition to screening and vaccination programs, are strongly encouraged.

Factors associated with cervical cancer screening behaviour of women attending gynaecological clinics in Kazakhstan: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Although cervical cancer could be prevented through medical screening, it remains one of the top causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality all over the world. A number of factors may contribute to cervical cancer screening behaviour of women. The aim of this study was to investigate factors related to cervical cancer screening behaviour of women in Kazakhstan.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional survey-based study with a total of 1189 participants. Women attending gynaecological clinics aged between 18 and 70 years were administered paper-based questionnaires about their awareness of cervical cancer, the associated risk factors, and cervical cancer screening. Student t test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test and chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, where appropriate, were used to determine associations with categorical independent variables.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 36.5 ± 10.1 years. Less than half (45.7%) of the participants had been screened for cervical cancer. The key factors related to the cervical cancer screening behaviour of women in this study included age, having a larger number of children, regular menstrual function, awareness of Pap smear test, and free screening programme for cervical cancer, and the causal association of human papillomavirus with cervical cancer.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed several significant factors predicting screening behaviour in Kazakhstani women. To improve the rate of screening, there is a need to increase public knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer and opportunities for the free screening programme in the female population of Kazakhstan.

Predictors of uptake of cervical cancer screening among women in Urban Tanzania: community-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

The proportion of women screened for cervical cancer in Tanzania remains small at 6-21%. Even though some studies have been conducted to address barriers, the screening uptake remains low, which denotes the presence of unidentified barriers. The main objective of this study is to assess the predictors in the uptake of cervical cancer screening (CCS) among women in Tanzania.

METHODS

This is a community-based cross-sectional study conducted to obtain quantitative data through validated questionnaires to assess predictors of CCS.

RESULTS

1013 (91.8%) of the respondents had not been screened for cervical cancer. Three predictors of CCS were identified in this study; screening intention, health beliefs, and knowledge level. 600 (54.4%) of respondents had no screening intention. 552 (50%) had negative health beliefs, and 585 (53%) had inadequate knowledge of cervical cancer and CCS. Respondents who had no intention to screen were 0.482 (AOR) times less likely to uptake CCS (P = 0.002; 95% CI: 0.305, 0.761).

CONCLUSIONS

The ongoing community-awareness raising campaigns should be coupled with community knowledge-raising campaign, and there should be an establishing of peer-supporting screening programs in communities.

Human papillomavirus and its vaccination: Knowledge and attitudes among female university students in Saudi Arabia

Context:

College students worldwide have low levels of knowledge on human papillomavirus (HPV)-related diseases, highlighting the lack of awareness about HPV infection. To date, no study has examined the level of knowledge of cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine in the northern region of Saudi Arabia.

Aim:

This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge of cervical cancer and its risk factors, as well as HPV vaccine acceptance among female students in Saudi Arabia enrolled in health colleges.

Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted using a valid and reliable self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed by 966 female students enrolled at the University of Hail, northern region of Saudi Arabia, with a response rate of 83.5%. The main outcome measure was the identification of the knowledge gap pertaining to HPV infection and its prophylactic vaccine.

Results:

The findings highlighted a lack of knowledge about cervical cancer, Pap smears, and HPV vaccine among most female university students. The knowledge score positively correlated to the duration of education. Students enrolled in applied medical science and medical colleges showed significantly higher knowledge scores, as did students in their senior academic years. Vaccine uptake barriers included concerns about its side effects and a lack of information.

Conclusions:

Our findings can be used to formulate effective future awareness programs in the northern region of Saudi Arabia. A larger number of educational programs are required to enlighten Saudi women about cervical cancer and its prophylactic vaccine, including the benefits of screening programs and prevention strategies.

The Outcome of a Self-Efficacy Enhancement Program for Cervical Cancer Screening among Women in Phrasaeng District, Suratthani Province, Thailand

Objective:

The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of a self-efficacy enhancement program on perceived self-efficacy and cervical cancer screening among women.

Methods:

This research was quasi-experimental research, using the subjects consisted of 130 samples; each of the experimental and control group consisted of 65 samples. The experimental group received a self-efficacy enhancement program. The control group received knowledge and usual care by health personnel in the health promoting hospital. The duration of the research was 8 weeks. The self-efficacy was testing the reliability equal to 0.90. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and t-test.

Results:

The mean scores of perceived self-efficacy between the experimental and control group before using the program (M=2.18, S.D.=0.40; M=2.22, S.D.=0.39), there was no significantly different (p> 0.05). The mean scores of perceived self-efficacy between the experimental and control group after using the program (M=4.11, S.D.=0.44; M=2.28, S.D.=0.42), there was a significantly different (p< 0.001). The mean scores of perceived self-efficacy of the experimental group before and after using the program were higher, (M=2.18, S.D.=0.40; M=4.11, S.D.=0.44), there was a significantly different (p< 0.001). The experimental group came to screening 64 people (98.5 %), and the control group came to screening eight people (12.3 %), calculated ratio as 8:1 and compared the cervical cancer screening in the experimental and control group had differences significantly (p< 0.001).

Conclusion:

The self-efficacy enhancement program, resulting in increased screening rates and screened after the first week by having most screening tests in the community. Therefore, the program should be applied, and proactive services should be provided for women to have access in community and a health service place.