Determining the relationship between women's attitudes towards cervical cancer screening and cancer information burden and cancer anxiety.

This descriptive study was conducted to determine the relationship between women's attitudes towards cervical cancer screening and cancer information burden and cancer anxiety. The research was conducted with 340 women who applied to Kayseri City Hospital Gynecology and Children's Hospital Polyclinics between November 2022 and May 2023. Research data were collected using the "Introductory Characteristics Data Collection Form", "Cervical Cancer and Pap-smear Screening Health Belief Model Scale", "Cancer Information Burden Scale", and "Cancer Anxiety Scale". Descriptive statistics, spearman correlation analysis and linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data. When the total score averages of the women in the Cervical Cancer and Pap-smear Screening Health Belief Model Scale sub-dimensions were examined in the study; 2.47 ± 2.39 for sensitivity, 22.68 ± 6.00 for caring, 32.18 ± 5.85 for pap smear benefit and motivation, 9.50 ± 2.65 for health motivation, 35 for pap smear obstacles subscale. .79 is ±10.08. Women's cancer information burden scale total score average is 18.66 ± 4.10, and the cancer anxiety scale average score is 15.83 ± 5.02. In the study, when women's total score averages from the Cervical Cancer and Pap-smear Screening Health Belief Model Scale sub-dimensions were compared according to some descriptive characteristics; Pap smear benefit and motivation sub-dimension according to education level (p=0.001) and education about cervical cancer and screening (p=0.040); It was determined that there was a difference between the pap smear barriers subscale mean scores according to education level (p = 0.001), having a pap smear (p = 0.001) and receiving education about cervical cancer and screening (p = 0.001). In the study, according to the sub-dimensions of the Cervical Cancer and Pap-smear Screening Health Belief Model Scale; Significant effect of the Cancer Anxiety Scale on other sub-dimensions except the Pap smear barriers dimension (p<0.05); The Cancer Information Burden Scale had a significant effect only on the Pap smear barriers dimension (p<0.05). One unit increase in cancer anxiety level; It was determined that it would lead to a 0.158-fold increase in the level of sensitivity, a 0.449-fold increase in the level of caring, a 0.159-fold increase in the Pap smear benefit and motivation level, and a 0.059-fold increase in the health motivation level. It was determined that a one-unit increase in the level of cancer information burden would lead to a 1,140-fold increase in the level of pap smear barriers. It was determined that as the level of anxiety increased, the level of screening increased. It was determined that as the cancer information load increases, the size of the obstacle increases, and therefore the level of screening decreases. As a result of the findings of the research, it is recommended that nurses take cancer anxiety and cancer information load into consideration when planning interventions that will increase women's awareness of cervical cancer and their behavior in taking Pap smear tests. Key words; Pap smear, Cervical Cancer, Cancer information load, Cancer anxiety, Nursing, Cancer Screening