Open Access855 Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding cervical cancer and screening among women visiting primary health care in Qatar
Author(s) -
F M Al-Meer,
Muna Taher Aseel,
J Al-Khalaf,
Mohamed Ghaith Al-Kuwari,
Mansoura Fawaz Salem Ismail
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/2011.17.11.856
Subject(s) - medicine , cervical cancer , family medicine , test (biology) , health care , cervical cancer screening , primary care , primary health care , gynecology , cross sectional study , cancer , obstetrics , population , environmental health , paleontology , pathology , economics , biology , economic growth
There are no data on the knowledge, attitude and practices of Qatari women about this cancer. Therefore this cross-sectional interview-based study was conducted in 2008 among 500 women at 5 randomly selected primary health care centres in Qatar to determine their knowledge, attitude and practices regarding cervical cancer and screening. Just over 85% had heard of cervical cancer and 76% had heard about the Pap smear. Knowledge of cervical cancer was significantly greater among women aged 30-49 years, and those employed, married for > 15 years, with a university degree, or who had had 4 births or 3 miscarriages. Almost 40% had had a Pap smear test at least once and 85.5% of the rest would have a test if they were told that the procedure was painless and simple. Over half wanted the test to be done in the well-woman clinic at the primary health care centre. Knowledge and practice as inadequate among those under 30 years old, those recently married and those with a lower education level.