Background: Cervical cancer is one of the major health problems in the world. It is the second most common cancer in women living in less developed regions. This study aimed to determine the level of awareness among women regarding the risk factors for cervical cancer and screening methods, their information sources, and general attitudes toward Pap smear screening tests and human papillomavirus vaccination.
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted through an electronic questionnaire among women in Najran city from March 1, 2019, to June 30, 2019. The data were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Statistics for Windows.
Result: A total of 3,387 women participated in this study. Less than 10% of the participants had good awareness, and 70% had low awareness about the risk factors for cervical cancer. In terms of the significant barriers in taking the Pap smear test among married women, 968 (56.7%) did not know about the test, and 338 (19.85%) considered it unnecessary. Significant associations were observed between the level of awareness about cervical cancer and Pap smear test and the age of women, occupation, family history of cancer, monthly income (p < 0.001), and education level (p = 0.003).
Conclusion: The current study showed a lack of awareness about risk factors for cervical cancer and early detection benefits among women in this region. Healthcare providers should implement policies or programs for cervical cancer screening and vaccination throughout all primary healthcare centers.
Key words: Awareness, cervical cancer, pap smear, vaccination
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