title: Knowledge about cervical cancer risk factors and pap smear testing behavior among female primary health care workers: a study from south Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical cancer is one of the ten most frequent cancers in Turkey. We here examined knowledge about cervical cancer in relation to Papanicolaou (Pap) testing among female primary health care workers in Hatay, a city is located in the south of Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was completed on 261 women healthcare workers who were or had been sexually active and who accepted to participate to the study. The participants gave verbal informed consent and thereafter questionnaires prepared by the investigators were administered by personal interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 30.3% (n=79) of the participants regularly had a gynecologic examination. While 87.4% (n=228) of the participants reported that they had already heard about the Pap smear test, only 45.2% (n=118) had undergone this test. It was determined that had undergone an average of 1.66 ± 0.89 times (1-4) within the last five years. Some 56.0% (n=117) of the participants were well informed about the Pap smear test (p<0,001) and 81.1% (n=63) of the participants who regularly had gynecological examinations (p<0,001) had this test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the early diagnosis of the cervical cancer, regularly having a Pap smear test is crucial. Healthcare workers should also demonstrate sensitivity about this issue. We think that the importance of the issue should be re-highlighted by organizing in-service training for female primary healthcare workers. Studies are warranted to determine the psychosociological factors that cause individuals to not have the test.
authors.affiliation: Family Health Center Number 11, Antakya, Hayat, Turkey E-mail : drhuseyincan@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Savas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Can
authors.forename: Sercan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test / Q000379:methods; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods; D014930:Women; D055815:Young Adult