Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is the third spread gynecological cancer for Saudi females with an expected rate of 1.9 cases per 100,000 females/year. Thus, this study aimed to determine the awareness of CC and Pap smear as a screening tool among females in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study carried on Saudi females between 18 and 40 years old in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire translated into Arabic was distributed to females using google online form. It consisted of socio demographic characteristics, assessment of the knowledge toward CC, assessment of the knowledge toward Pap smear, and perception toward CC screening.
Results: Nearly half of the women (49.5%) reported low knowledge toward CC (mean score 4.98 ± 2.91 SD, out of 13 points). For the knowledge toward Pap smear, an overwhelming proportion of women (78.2%) had low knowledge level (mean score 1.33 ± 1.39 SD, out of 5 points). Some of the most notable factors that were associated with both; knowledge toward CC and Pap smear test were those who had undergone cervical screening and those who received an offer about Pap smear from health care workers.
Conclusion: The knowledge regarding CC and Pap smear test were inadequate. Educated women had better outlook toward CC. Being experienced of cervical screening and having received an offer to undergo Pap smear were likely to have better outlook in both CC and Pap smear test.

Key words: Cervical cancer, Pap smear, awareness, females, KSA