title: Knowledge and attitudes of women regarding gynaecological cancer prevention in an urban area of Greece in financial crisis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preventive gynaecological examinations (PGEs) are the main means of monitoring gynaecological cancers across the developed world. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of women of a regional municipality of Greece, regarding preventive gynaecological examinations amid economic crisis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 360 women aged 20-70 years, who lived in an urban area of Greece. A specialised, valid and anonymous questionnaire that included questions about perceptions and attitudes regarding preventive gynaecological examinations was used. The data analysis was performed using the statistical package spss 21.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that women who lived in less developed areas had had lower educational levels and higher abstinence rates from medical examinations. The main source of information about sexually transmitted diseases was their social circle (48%), but the gynaecologist is the one preferred (54.8) to inform about preventive gynaecological examinations. Thirty per cent of the participants had never have a mammogram, while 33.9% of the sample did not show the same result, although considered the Pap test necessary. The main cause of women's abstention of preventive gynaecological examinations is the financial crisis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current financial crisis has negatively affected the women's ability to afford gynaecological examinations. Therefore, it is necessary to inform the population about the necessity of preventive gynaecological examinations starting from school age and at the same time, health information and promotion campaigns should be launched at a national level.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Korinthos, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saridi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Korinthos, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kapogeorgou
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Korinthos, Greece.|Department of Nursing, University of Peloponnese, Sparta, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rekleiti
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Korinthos, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geitona
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Korinthos, Greece.
authors.forename: Kyriakos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Souliotis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006115:Greece; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018803:Models, Economic; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Pap test; economic crisis; human papillomavirus; mammogram; preventive gynaecological examinations; sexual behaviour