Knowledge, Attitudes, and Screening Behaviors for Breast and Cervical Cancer Among Women: A Cross-Sectional KAP Study

Background/Objectives: Inequalities in cancer screening persist in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, where limited awareness and access to preventive services may reduce screening uptake. This study assessed knowledge, attitudes, and screening behaviors related to breast and cervical cancer among women attending community-based Quran courses in a socioeconomically disadvantaged district of Istanbul, Türkiye. Methods: A cross-sectional knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) study was conducted between October 2022 and January 2023. Of 521 completed questionnaires, 41 records with missing age, 31 records with ages outside the prespecified 18–65-year eligibility range, and two duplicate records were excluded during data verification, leaving 447 women in the final analytic sample. Attitude scores were calculated according to the published scale scoring instructions. Cervical screening history was analyzed among women aged 30–65 years and breast screening history among women aged 40–65 years, reflecting the age range represented in the study. Results: The mean age was 44.83 ± 11.46 years. Among 360 participants with complete 15-item attitude-scale data, the mean score was 65.24 ± 11.15 and Cronbach’s alpha was 0.890. Among women aged 30–65 years, 192 of 403 with valid responses (48%) reported previous cervical cancer screening. Among women aged 40–65 years, 145 of 291 (50%) reported previous breast cancer screening. More favorable attitude scores were generally observed among women with greater screening awareness, knowledge, and intention. Attitude scores did not differ significantly across age groups (p = 0.181). Conclusions: Substantial gaps in screening knowledge remained, and approximately half of women in the represented screening-age groups reported previous screening. Primary-care and community-based strategies should combine clear screening information with guidance on service locations and appointment booking.