Married Women's Beliefs, Attitudes, and Preventive Practices of Cervical Cancer: The Effectiveness of Psychological Nursing Intervention

Abstract

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection causes 75-80% of cervical cancers worldwide. Cervical cancer is considered the second communal cancer in women after breast cancer universally. It can be treatable, avoidable, or recognized early, particularly with systematic screening and vaccination. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of a psychological nursing intervention on married women's beliefs, attitudes, and preventive practices of cervical cancer. Design & tools: the quasi-experimental study was conducted on 200 randomly selected married women using the Self-Administered Questionnaire and Assessment Sheet for knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, and barriers to preventive measures for cervical cancer. Setting: it was conducted in the family planning unit in the teaching hospital and gynecology clinic of the university hospital in Shebin-Alkom,Menoufia University, Egypt. The results revealed a high statistically significant difference between the study and control groups regarding mean scores of knowledge beliefs, and preventive practice concerning cervical cancer, its screening, and prevention after a psychological nursing intervention compared with before. Also, the majority of the study group practiced preventive measures in a positive way after a psychological nursing intervention compared with the control group. Conclusion: the study concluded that the psychological nursing intervention has a positive effect on beliefs, attitudes, and preventive practices of cervical cancer among married women. Recommendation: Additional educational intervention is required to encourage adherence to routine cancer screening by raising awareness about cervical cancer among married women. Adding cervical cancer preventive strategies beside other reproductive health services at all health care delivery system levels.