Knowledge about cervical cancer in young Portuguese women: a cross-sectional study

Data de publicação: 01/01/2024

Autores da FMUP

Ivone Maria Resende Figueiredo Duarte

Autor
Maria De Lurdes Campos Dos Santos

Autor
Paulo Alexandre Azevedo Pereira Santos

Autor

Participantes de fora da FMUP

Rodrigues, IO
Costa, CG
Pimentel, AL
Chaves, S
Gomes, AP
Santos, JI
Moreira, AC
Lobao, A
Nazar?, I

Unidades de investigação

Laboratório Associado RISE- Rede de Investigação em Saúde

Investigador

Fernando Carlos De Landér Schmitt
Medicina
Medicina da Comunidade, Informação e Decisão em Saúde
RISE-Health

Investigador

Fernando Carlos De Landér Schmitt

Abstract

Introduction Health literacy is crucial to adherence to medical interventions in therapeutics, prevention, and diagnosis. The basis for literacy is knowledge. To accomplish the goals for the elimination of cervical cancer, one of the most prevalent and preventable cancers, we must understand the determinants of non-adherence and address them specifically to ensure patients active participation.Aim To determine womens knowledge regarding the manifestations of cervical cancer and its prevention.Materials and methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in an urban population from northern Portugal. Women aged 18 to 30 years were randomly assigned to answer the Cervical Cancer Awareness Measure questionnaire, including questions of knowledge about the causes and symptoms of cervical cancer, prospecting for individual and social-related determinants.Results The total number of participants was 270, with a mean age of 24.7 years. Knowledge about symptoms scored 5.4 +/- 2.6, with a maximum of 12 points, and knowledge about the causes scored 5.7 +/- 1.9, with a maximum of 11 points. The correlation between both was 0.334. High education, high socio-economic status, self-perception of ones capacity to recognize symptoms, and knowledge about the HPV vaccine were associated with better knowledge.Discussion Portuguese women present low knowledge about cervical cancer, potentially affecting their health through exposure to risk situations and non-adherence to routine screening.