Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers among women Worldwide and the leading cause of cancer mortality in women in India. Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge of cancer cervix and the practice of Pap smear test among women in a rural area. Methods: The awareness and screening for cancer cervix using Papanicolaou smear test among women were studied in 526 women at 9 different health centers in a rural area near Rajahmundry from March 5th, 2021 to March 10th, 2021 with a questionnaire survey of history, assessment of knowledge about cancer cervix, attitude and practice of Pap smear testing & HPV vaccination followed by clinical examination and screening using pap smear test. Results: During the study period, a total of 526 women were surveyed, out of which screening was done in only 394 women. Most of the women belong to 30-39 years (37.2%). Distribution of the women based on socio-economic class, occupation, parity, symptoms, clinical examination, knowledge about cervical cancer, and the results of pap smear tests were also studied out of which vaginal discharge seems to be the most common symptom (15.2%), the cervical examination was normal in 91.6%, 77.3% had awareness about cancer cervix and 41.4% of participants had adequate knowledge about Pap smear test. Conclusion: Awareness about cancer cervix was adequate but the awareness & the rates of pap smear testing and HPV vaccination in this area are far lower than in urban areas due to less exposure to health care information.

• 1.   Modibbo FI, Dareng E, Bamisaye P, JedyAgba E, Adewole A, Oyeneyin L, Olaniyan O, Adebamowo C. Qualitative study of barriers to cervical cancer screening among Nigerian women. BMJ open. 2016 Jan 1;6(1):e008533.
• 2.   Sankaranarayanan R, Black RJ, Swaminathan R, Parkin DM. An overview of cancer survival in developing countries. IARC scientific publications. 1998 Jan 1:135-57.
• 3.   Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Dikshit R, Eser S, Mathers C, Rebelo M, Parkin DM, Forman D, Bray F. Cancer incidence and mortality worldwide: sources, methods and major patterns in GLOBOCAN 2012. International journal of cancer. 2015 Mar 1;136(5):E359-86.
• 4.   Saha A, Chaudhury AN, Bhowmik P, Chatterjee R. Awareness of cervical cancer among female students of premier colleges in Kolkata, India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2010 Jan 1;11(4):1085-90.
• 5.   Narayana G, Suchitra MJ, Sunanda G, Ramaiah JD, Kumar BP, Veerabhadrappa KV. Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward cervical cancer among women attending Obstetrics and Gynecology Department: A cross-sectional, hospital based survey in South India. Indian journal of cancer. 2017 Apr 1;54(2):481.
• 6.   Ghaoomi M, Aminimoghaddam S, Safari H, Mahmoudzadeh A. Awareness and practice of cervical cancer and Pap smear testing in a teaching hospital in Tehran. Tehran University Medical Journal. 2016;74(3):183-9.
• 7.   Bosch FX, Manos MM, Muñoz N, Sherman M, Jansen AM, Peto J, Schiffman MH, Moreno V, Kurman R, Shan KV. Prevalence of human papillomavirus in cervical cancer: a worldwide perspective. JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 1995 Jun 7;87(11):796-802.
• 8.   Schiffman M, Wentzensen N. A suggested approach to simplify and improve cervical screening in the United States. Journal of lower genital tract disease. 2016 Jan;20(1):1.
• 9.   McFarlane-Anderson N, Bazuaye PE, Jackson MD, Smikle M, Fletcher HM. Cervical dysplasia and cancer and the use of hormonal contraceptives in Jamaican women. BMC Women’s Health. 2008 Dec;8(1):1-6.
• 10.   Sawaya GF, Brown AD, Washington AE, Garber AM. Current approaches to cervicalcancer screening. New England Journal of Medicine. 2001 May 24;344(21):1603-7.
• 11.   Bal MS, Goyal R, Suri AK, Mohi MK. Detection of abnormal cervical cytology in Papanicolaou smears. Journal of Cytology/Indian Academy of Cytologists. 2012 Jan;29(1):45.
• 12.   Aboyeji PA, Ijaiya MD, Jimoh AG. Knowledge, attitude and practice of cervical smear as a screening procedure for cervical cancer in Ilorin, Nigeria. Tropical journal of obstetrics and gynaecology. 2004;21(2):114-7.
• 13.   Arends MJ, Buckley CH, Wells M. Aetiology, pathogenesis, and pathology of cervical neoplasia. Journal of clinical pathology. 1998 Feb 1;51(2):96-103.
• 14.   Patel MM, Pandya AN, Modi J. Cervical Pap smear study and its utility in cancer screening, to specify the strategy for cervical cancer control. Natl J Community Med. 2011;2(1):49-51.

Data Sharing Statement

Funding