A Cross Sectional Study To Assess The Knowledge and Attitude of Women Aged 21 Years and Above Regarding Cervical Cancer Screening in the OPDs of a Tertiary Care Center of East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya

Abstract Cervical cancer develops in a woman’s cervix (the entrance to the uterus from the vagina) and it is a major cause of cancer mortality in women and more than a quarter of its global burden is contributed by developing countries. In India, cervical cancer is the 3rd most common cancer and the leading cause of death with a mortality rate of 8.7 % as per GLOBOCAN 2022.When diagnosed it is one of the most successfully treated forms of cancer and this can be done through cervical cancer screening. Screening plays a crucial role in the early detection and prevention of cervical cancer. A cross-sectional study was conducted in OPDs of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, General Surgery and Oncology of a tertiary care centre of East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya from 16th June 2025 to 28th June 2025 to assess the knowledge and attitude towards cervical cancer screening of women aged 21 years and above. A self-administered structured questionnaire and a five-point Likert scale was prepared to assess the knowledge and attitude of women aged 21 years and above attending the OPDs of the above mentioned departments with the sample size of 160 participants. Out of 160 participants who have participated in the study, 106 (66.2%) had good knowledge and 54(33.8%) had poor knowledge regarding cervical cancer screening. 96 (60%) participants had a favorable attitude and 64(40%) participants had an unfavorable attitude regarding cervical cancer screening. There was an association between knowledge of the participants with educational status, occupational status, marital status and number of children.