Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Al Madinah Al Munawwarah 42353, Saudi Arabia.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jan 27;19(3):1455. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19031455.
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the most common risk factor for cervical cancer. Cervical cancer can be prevented with vaccination and early screening methods using pap smears. However, the acceptance of these approaches can be affected by the awareness level of the population. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess knowledge and practices related to cervical cancer among women in the Al Madinah Province in Saudi Arabia. A total of 1489 responses were included in the analysis. The median awareness score related to cervical cancer was eight out of 20 points. Vaginal bleeding, dyspareunia, and leg pain were correctly identified by 79.8%, 43.7%, and 19.3% of the women, respectively. Thirty-four percent of the study sample knew that the sexually transmitted virus is a risk factor for cervical cancer. Only 44.6% were able to correctly identify pap smear as a screening tool, and 12.6% knew that there was a HPV vaccine. This study revealed a low to moderate awareness level toward cervical cancer, pap smear, and HPV vaccine. Thus, awareness campaigns are urgently needed to increase the awareness level for early detection and prevention of the disease.
人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）是宫颈癌最常见的危险因素。宫颈癌可以通过接种疫苗和巴氏涂片等早期筛查方法来预防。然而，这些方法的接受程度可能会受到人群意识水平的影响。本横断面研究旨在评估沙特阿拉伯麦地那省女性与宫颈癌相关的知识和实践。共有 1489 份回复被纳入分析。与宫颈癌相关的中位数意识评分为 20 分中的 8 分。阴道出血、性交痛和腿痛分别被 79.8%、43.7%和 19.3%的女性正确识别。34%的研究样本知道性传播病毒是宫颈癌的一个危险因素。只有 44.6%的人能够正确识别巴氏涂片作为筛查工具，12.6%的人知道有 HPV 疫苗。本研究显示，对宫颈癌、巴氏涂片和 HPV 疫苗的认识水平较低至中等。因此，迫切需要开展宣传活动，提高对疾病早期发现和预防的认识。
