Knowledge Regarding Cervical Cancer and Factors Associated with it Among Women of Reproductive Age Group of Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City, Rupandehi, Nepal

Background: Cervical cancer is largely preventable through human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, screening, and timely management of precancerous lesions. Adequate knowledge among women of reproductive age is important for the uptake of preventive services. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study of its kind conducted in Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City, Rupandehi, Nepal. Objective: To assess the knowledge and factors associated about cervical cancer among women of reproductive age group 15-49 years. Methods: A community-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2023 to March 2024 among women aged 15–49 years. Three wards (4, 8, and 11) were selected by lottery, followed by proportional allocation and systematic random sampling of the households. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using semi-structured questionnaires. Knowledge scores were not normally distributed; a median score of 7 was used to classify adequate (≥7) and inadequate (<7) knowledge. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were performed. Results: Among 249 women, 45.4% respondents had adequate knowledge of cervical cancer while 54.6% had inadequate knowledge. Only 33.7% identified a virus as a cause of cervical cancer, while 14.0% identified HPV infection as a risk factor. Regular screening (60.6%) was the most frequently reported preventive measure. Although 68.7% had heard of HPV vaccination, 43.0% did not know the recommended age group and 39.0% did not know its availability. Conclusion: More than half of the women had inadequate knowledge of cervical cancer, highlighting the need for health education on HPV infection, vaccination and cervical cancer screening.