Effect of a culturally tailored educational intervention on women’s knowledge and attitudes toward cervical cancer screening: a single-group pre-post study

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally tailored educational intervention on Jordanian women's knowledge and attitudes toward cervical cancer screening. METHODS: A single-group pre-post intervention study was conducted at two primary healthcare centers in Jordan. Sixty women aged 25 to 45 years were recruited using convenience sampling. The intervention consisted of 10 face-to-face group sessions (approximately 60 minutes each) delivered over 4 weeks by trained female nurse educators using interactive, culturally sensitive materials. Participants completed an Arabic-language questionnaire assessing cervical cancer knowledge, attitudes toward screening, perceived barriers, and prior screening history. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests assessed pre-post changes, while nonparametric comparisons and Spearman correlations examined associations with demographic characteristics. RESULTS: At baseline, 51.7% of participants had heard of the Papanicolaou (Pap) test, 13.3% had ever undergone a Pap test, and 10.0% intended to be screened within the next 3 years. The most frequently reported barriers were embarrassment (86.7%), fear of a negative result (85.0%), and discomfort (83.3%). Knowledge increased significantly (median, 3.00 to 16.00; Z=-6.73, p<.001; Cohen's d=0.87), and attitudes improved (median, 27.00 to 36.00; Z=-6.62, p<.001; d=0.85) following the intervention. Higher income and prior awareness of the Pap test were significantly associated with greater post-intervention knowledge. Higher income and older age were also significantly associated with more favorable attitudes (p<.05). CONCLUSION: A culturally tailored educational program delivered in primary care produced substantial improvements in women's knowledge and attitudes. Integrating structured cervical cancer education into routine women's health services may support informed screening decisions and strengthen cervical cancer prevention efforts in Jordan.