title: Knowledge about cervical cancer and barriers of screening program among women in Wufeng County, a high-incidence region of cervical cancer in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cervical cancer screening is an effective method for reducing the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer, but the screening attendance rate in developing countries is far from satisfactory, especially in rural areas. Wufeng is a region of high cervical cancer incidence in China. This study aimed to investigate the issues that concern cervical cancer and screening and the factors that affect women's willingness to undergo cervical cancer screening in the Wufeng area.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of women was conducted to determine their knowledge about cervical cancer and screening, demographic characteristics and the barriers to screening.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women who were willing to undergo screenings had higher knowledge levels. "Anxious feeling once the disease was diagnosed" (47.6%), "No symptoms/discomfort" (34.1%) and "Do not know the benefits of cervical cancer screening" (13.4%) were the top three reasons for refusing cervical cancer screening. Women who were younger than 45 years old or who had lower incomes, positive family histories of cancer, secondary or higher levels of education, higher levels of knowledge and fewer barriers to screening were more willing to participate in cervical cancer screenings than women without these characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Efforts are needed to increase women's knowledge about cervical cancer, especially the screening methods, and to improve their perceptions of the screening process for early detection to reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ru
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Qunying
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhilan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ding
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears