Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer is one of the most important causes of cancer death in women in developing countries such as India. One of the prime reasons for the increased incidence of cervical cancer is the lack of awareness.

Objective: To determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice about cervical cancer among rural Indian women

Material and Methods: Married women (n = 200) between 18 and 65 years, in a rural field practice area of the medical college in Kaiwara village, located in the Chintamani taluk of Chickaballapur district, Karnataka, India, who could communicate effectively in the local language were included in the study. Participants were randomly selected and instructed to complete validated semi-structured, field-tested survey questionnaire.

Result: Majority (96.5%) of the respondents did not know what screening for cervical cancer meant. Awareness regarding preventive measures was found to be very poor with just 6% having heard of Pap smear testing and 8% about the availability of a preventive vaccine.

Conclusion: Mass media campaigns can go a long way in spreading awareness of cervical cancer.

Key words: Cervical cancer, attitude, knowledge, practice