Investigating the barriers and facilitators of HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among women, primarily due to the disease being diagnosed at advanced stages. Early screening for cancer has been shown to be the most effective preventive measure against the disease. Studies have identified the barriers to early screening as a lack of awareness and negative attitudes towards cervical cancer. This study was conducted to investigate the barriers and facilitators related to the HPV vaccine and cervical cancer screening, evaluating and scoring the participants' knowledge and attitudes. The research was carried out as a community-based cross-sectional study among women aged 18 and over who applied to family health centers and KETEM units in the central district of Elazığ province, between March 2024 and December 2024. A total of 400 women between the ages of 18 and 65 participated in the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 software. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between participants' knowledge levels and demographic characteristics. The study found that the vast majority of participants were aware that early detection of cervical cancer is beneficial and that it is a treatable disease. However, only 46.0% knew that a vaccine is available to protect against cervical cancer, indicating a low level of awareness about this vaccine. Additionally, participants were found to lack adequate knowledge regarding the symptoms and preventive measures of cervical cancer. Women's education level, income level, and other demographic factors showed significant differences in their knowledge and attitudes regarding cervical cancer. The history of childbirth, breastfeeding, and family history of cervical cancer were found to increase the likelihood of cervical cancer screening behavior. While the rate of HPV vaccination was very low, the desire to get vaccinated was 38.0%. Although general knowledge about cervical cancer prevention among women was relatively high and most attitudes were encouraging, specific knowledge regarding screening was low. There were also misconceptions and unwanted beliefs about cervical cancer among the participants. Therefore, addressing the identified knowledge gaps and increasing service availability, along with more educational campaigns, is necessary to ensure the widespread dissemination of cervical cancer screening services to all women. Keywords: HPV, Cervical cancer, Screening test