Women's knowledge and utilization of gynecological cancer prevention services in the Northwest of Greece.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION

In Greece an organized cervical or breast cancer screening program does not exist and the population coverage is unknown.

METHODS

Women of all ages completed a questionnaire, which assessed women's awareness of and participation in breast and cervical screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. The women were randomly approached in public areas.

RESULTS

1,012 women completed the questionnaire. 52% of the women over 39 years old had undergone mammography in the last year and 76% of the women over 20 years old had a cervical smear test within the last three years in an opportunistic basis. In addition, the likelihood of having regular mammograms was positively associated with the likelihood of having regular cervical smears. Fifty percent of the responders did not identify HPV as the cause of cervical cancer and 38% were not aware of the HPV vaccine. From the women aged 16 to 28 years old, 11% had been vaccinated against HPV and an additional 23% intended to have the vaccine in the next six months.

CONCLUSION

Knowledge and utilization of mammography and cervical screening was quite satisfactory, although HPV vaccination coverage was low. Preventive services could be improved through the development of a plan for the information of the public and the distribution of the HPV vaccine.