Investigation of knowledge and attitudes intended for early diagnosis of cervical cancer in health professionals and patients at Çankaya subprovince primary health centers

It was aimed to determine the knowledge and attitudes intended for early diagnosis of cervical cancer in 18-65 aged women and primary health care workers. One hundred and fifty primary health care workers and 200 patients (18-65 aged women) in Çankaya subprovince participated in the study as two different groups. Different descriptive survey and cervical cancer knowledge forms were applied to the subjects face to face. Additionally, attitude scale on early diagnosis of cervical cancer (ASEDCC) were applied to the female health care workers and 18-65 aged women. The results were given as mean±standard deviation. It was found that 49.5% of the 18-65 aged women get educated about cervical cancer and 80.5% of them had Pap smear/HPV test. In regard to the knowledge form, the 18-65 aged women got 11.48±4.01 points, whereas health care workers got 18.99±4.50 and female health care workers got 19.00±4.33 points. In all groups, the best known questions were related to screening and the least known were related to risk factors. Knowledge of all health workers was found to be influenced by education level, job, working place, before graduation and in-service training. Mean values of ASEDCC of the 18-65 aged women and female health workers were 110.76±9.99 and 110.55±11.25, respectively. In both groups, perceived benefit had the highest values and perceived seriousness had the lowest. There were significant differences in knowledge and ASEDCC points of 18-65 aged women in regard to hearing cervical cancer, getting education about it, hearing and having Pap smear/HPV test. There was significant but weak positive correlation between total knowledge points and total ASEDCC values. It is important to plan and carry out effective and regular training programs intended for increaing positive attitudes for screening and improving especially risk factors related knowledge of primary health care workers and 18-65 aged women under risk of cervical cancer.