title: Does hopelessness of Turkish women affect their behavior regarding cervical cancer prevention and early diagnosis?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate attitudes women of towards cervical cancer prevention applications and early diagnosis, and whether or not their hopelessness levels had any influence.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study was carried out in Isparta with a descriptive design. A sample of 251 individuals was recruited from January 2011 through May 2011 in the largest tea garden (restaurant- cafe). The data collection tool consisted of two parts: a "Questionnaire Form" identifying women; and the "Beck Hopelessness Scale". Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 16.0 for Windows for the numerical and percentage distribution, average, standard deviation with the ANOVA and Mann-Whitney tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Some 70.2 % of the woman indicated that they had not taken the Pap test. There was a significant relationship between the hopelessness level and women believing that they could protect themselves from getting cervical cancer (F=10.11 p=0.00). There was a significant relationship between hopelessness levels and believing whether or not early diagnosis tests are deterministic (F=8.781 p=0.00).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study concluded that the hopelessness level of women had an effect on their thoughts about cervical cancer prevention and early diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecological Nursing Department, Health Sciences Faculty, Suleyman Demirel University, Turkey. tasciemel@gmail.com
authors.forename: Emel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taşçi-Duran
authors.forename: Şenay
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Unsal-Atan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003469:Culture; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011379:Prognosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D055815:Young Adult