title: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Cervical Cancer among Rural Community Women in Northeast Thailand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy among women worldwide, and women of reproductive age in Thailand. However, information on the behavior regarding cervical cancer in rural community Thailand is sparse.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding cervical cancer (CC) among rural community women in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, using predesigned structured questionnaires.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 8 villages of Non Sung district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, during January to April 2015. Bloom's taxonomy was used as a framework for the study. 265 women aged between 30-60 years old were selected by simple random sampling. All participants completed predesigned questionnaires with 4 parts: demographic data, knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding cervical cancer. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of participants were in the age group of 41-50 years old (42.6%) with senior secondary school level of education (32.1%), marriage status (85.0%), agricultural employment (59.6%), and family income between 6,000- 10,000 baht per month (54.3%). Some 63.4% and 68.7% participants had high knowledge and moderate level of attitudes regarding CC, while 41.1%, 48.7%, and 10.2% had neem regularly, irregularly or never screened for CC, respectively. The main reasons for not screening were were shyness (44.4%) and no time (55.6%). Vaginal discharge and itching were the common signs and symptoms of participants who were screened at a health promotion hospital of sub-district.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CC is still a health problem in the rural community. Therefore, health education is required, particularly for those who have never undergone screening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Vongchavalitkul University, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand E-mail : natthawut.k@hotmail. com, natthawut_kae@vu.ac.th.
authors.forename: Cholticha
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mongsawaeng
authors.forename: Nawaporn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kokorn
authors.forename: Jirawoot
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kujapun
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Norkaew
authors.forename: Nusorn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kootanavanichpong
authors.forename: Wasugree
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chavenkun
authors.forename: Sukanya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ponphimai
authors.forename: Soraya J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kaewpitoon
authors.forename: Taweesak
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tongtawee
authors.forename: Natnapa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Padchasuwan
authors.forename: Prasit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pengsaa
authors.forename: Pontip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kompor
authors.forename: Natthawut
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kaewpitoon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand; D014505:Urban Population; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000523:psychology