An investigation of female health workers' attitudes and awareness levels towards cancer screening

This research aimed to assess the awareness and attitudes of female healthcare professionals aged over 30 about cancer screening. This descriptive cross-sectional study data was collected from 316 female healthcare workers employed between January and May 2025. Participants exhibited favourable attitudes about cancer screening, recognised its significance, and displayed substantial motivation to engage in it. Married individuals with children had more favourable views and a higher likelihood of undergoing mammography and HPV testing as they aged. Young, unmarried physicians without a familial predisposition to cancer had reduced rates of breast cancer screening, but nurses and other healthcare practitioners showed a higher propensity for cancer screening. Despite the proficiency of several female health professionals on cancer screening programs, the incidence of breast examinations and mammograms remained low, except for Pap smear testing, which showed relatively higher participation rates. Participants demonstrated moderate awareness but low participation in cancer screening programs. In conclusion, while awareness and attitudes of female healthcare professionals towards cancer screening are generally positive, this positive perception is not adequately reflected in actual behavior; participation in screening practices, particularly breast examinations and mammograms, remains low. These findings underscore the need for focused, continuous interventions that facilitate behavioral change among healthcare professionals and increase screening knowledge and participation.