Knowledge, cultural, and access barriers to cervical cancer screening among women aged 25 to 64
Main Article Content
Keywords
Barriers to Acces of Health Services , Early Detection of Cancer, Uterine Cervical Neoplasms, Papanicolaou Test, Human Papilomavirus Viruses
Abstract
Introduction: Barriers to the timely detection of cervical cancer constitute a multidimensional phenomenon involving the interaction of factors related to knowledge, cultural beliefs, and access to health services.
Objective: To describe knowledge-related, cultural, and access barriers regarding the timely detection of cervical cancer among women aged 25 to 64 at a tertiary-care hospital in western Mexico.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at a gynecology and obstetrics hospital. A total of 384 women were included using consecutive non-probability sampling. The "Barriers to Access for Cervical Cancer Screening Tests in Mexico" (BACACE) questionnaire was administered; it is structured around the dimensions of knowledge, cultural barriers, and access barriers (α = 0.71). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: Many participants possessed general knowledge regarding cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus (94.3%). The primary cultural barriers were fear (36.2%) and worry about an abnormal result (53.1%); regarding access, incompatible service hours (33.3%) were the most significant organizational obstacle.
Conclusion: Among women aged 25 to 64 receiving care at a tertiary-care hospital for the timely detection of cervical cancer, the main barriers identified relate to knowledge, culture, and access.
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