The effect of women’s e-health literacy on their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding vulvar cancer and self-examination: a cross-sectional study

This study aimed to investigate the impact of women’s e-health literacy on their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding vulvar cancer and vulvar self-examination. This study was a community-based cross-sectional. This study was performed between November 7, 2024, and January 29, 2025, involving 504 women who voluntarily participated by sharing the study on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X, etc.) and forum pages via the web. The study employed a Personal Information Form, the Knowledge Level Scale for Vulvar Self-Examination (VSEKLF), and the E-Health Literacy Scale (EHLS). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and both logistic and linear regression analyses were utilized for data evaluation. The results revealed that 61.1% of participants had never heard of vulvar self-examination (VSE), 37.7% were unaware of the appropriate age for VSE, 60.5% did not perform vulvar self-examination, and 79.2% did not consult a doctor for vulvar disease prevention in the absence of symptoms. The mean score for participants on the VSEKLF was 9.28 ± 5.46, while the mean score on the EHLS was 27.98 ± 5.59. A statistically significant, though weak, positive correlation was found between the VSEKLF and EHLS scores ( p < .001). The mean score of the VSEKLF was explained by 2.5% of the variance in the EHLS score ( Adjusted R² = 0.025). Further analysis of the regression model revealed that the independent variable had a statistically significant effect on the VSEKLF mean score ( p < .001). Knowledge of vulvar cancer emerged as a significant predictor for both VSEKLF and self-examination performance ( p < .001). The study concludes that as women’s e-health literacy increases, their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding vulvar cancer and vulvar self-examination improve. Based on these findings, it is recommended that nurses specializing in women’s health provide awareness training and seminars on vulvar cancer and vulvar self-examination, supported by practical demonstrations, to enhance women’s health protection and promotion.