title: Differences in the level of knowledge on cervical cancer among health care students, midwives and patients in Serbia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Level of midwife knowledge is particularly important because of their role in the cervical cancer prevention programme. The aim of this study was to examine differences in the level of knowledge among health care students, midwives and women in the general population of Serbia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional approach was used with health care students of the medical shool, midwives in their practice, and women visiting a chosen general practitioner as respondents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the students and midwives, women had lower level of knowledge of causative agents of the cervical cancer, genital warts, HPV types, screening for cervical cancer as well as about the target population for vaccine and its role. Differences in the numbers of right answers of respondents were statistically significant (p<0.001). Four or more correct answers were obtained from 22.7% women, 35.3% from midwives and 83.8% from students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Midwives should improve their own level of knowledge related to preventive practice for cervical cancer, as well as their personal compliance with recommended practices, in order to be qualified and credible promoters of cervical cancer control among women in Serbia.
authors.affiliation: Department for Medical Nurses-Midwives, College of Health Studies in Cuprija, Cuprija, Serbia E-mail : ljantic_vms@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ljiljana Gojko
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Antic
authors.forename: Bosiljka Svetozar
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Djikanovic
authors.forename: Dragan Zivojin
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Antic
authors.forename: Hristos Georgios
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Aleksopulos
authors.forename: Goran Zivojin
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Trajkovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010361:Patients; D055771:Serbia; D013336:Students, Health Occupations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines