The relationship between women's beliefs about cervix screening and their genital self-images and determining the influencing factors

Objective: In order for individuals to gain positive health behaviors, first of all, the knowledge, attitude, belief, value and tendency levels of individuals must be determined. This study was planned as a relation descriptive type in order to determine the relationship between women's beliefs about cervical cancer screening and their genital self-images. Method: The study was planned in relational descriptive type. The sample consists of 302 sexually active women between the ages of 22-65 who have had a Pap smear test at least once. It was obtained through face-to-face interviews with women who came to the Akdeniz University Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic between January 2020 and July 2020, using Cervical Cancer Pap Smear Test Health Belief Model Scale and Female Genital Self-Image Scales. One-way analysis of variance, independent groups T test, correlation and regression analysis were used in the analysis of the findings obtained in the study. Results: The mean age of the women in the study was found to be 36.12 ± 6.28. There is a moderately significant relationship between the mean Female Genital Self-Image Scales score and the Pap smear Health Belief Model barriers sub-dimension and the mean score of the health motivation sub-dimension. There is a significant relationship between the education level of the woman and the Pap smear Health Belief Model barriers sub-dimension. A significant relationship was found between the Pap smear test Health Belief Model sensitivity sub-dimension, which has a family history of cancer. As the number of births increases, the points a woman gets on Female Genital Self-Image Scales decrease. Conclusion: According to the data obtained from the study, women's genital self-images significantly affect the benefits, barriers and health motivation sub-dimensions of Pap smear, which are among the sub-dimensions of cervical cancer and Pap smear test Health Belief Model. It has been seen that socio-demographic characteristics such as marriage age and number of births are effective factors ın participation in screening. Key words: Genital self-images, Nursing, Pap smear, Health belief model, Cervics Cancer