Evaluation of Female Patients' Knowledge on Cervical Cancer and Human Papilloma Virus

Aim: Human papillomavirus is the most common known cause of cervical cancer. Screening programmes and vaccination against human papillomavirus are the most effective methods for the prevention and early diagnosis of cervical cancer. Female's awareness of this issue is important for their participation in screening programmes and human papillomavirus vaccination. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of female in the community about human papillomavirus, human papillomavirus vaccine and cervical cancer. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 130 female who applied to the Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic of Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine between May 2023 and July 2023. Data were collected using a 21-question questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, human papillomavirus, human papillomavirus vaccine, and cervical cancer, which was prepared by the researcher after reviewing the literature. Results: It was found that the rate of testing increased as the age of the participants increased, the rate of testing decreased as the level of education increased, and the rate of testing was higher in married female, which was statistically significant. Conclusion: It was found that knowledge of human papillomavirus and vaccination rates against human papillomavirus were low among participants. Educating female about human papillomavirus vaccination and cervical smear testing by health professionals, especially family doctors and gynecologists, and, if necessary, broadcasting public service announcements through social media/television will be very effective in preventing and detecting cervical cancer at an early stage. Keywords: cervical cancer, human papillomavirus, human papillomavirus vaccine