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Background <p>Cervical cancer remains a preventable yet significant public health concern worldwide, particularly in settings without organized screening programs. In Palestine, limited evidence exists regarding women’s knowledge, attitudes, and participation in cervical cancer screening. Understanding how knowledge and attitudes relate to screening participation is important for designing effective health-promotion strategies within primary healthcare settings. This study aimed to assess knowledge and attitudes toward cervical cancer and to identify factors associated with screening uptake among Palestinian women.</p> Methods <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted between November and December 2025 using an online self-administered questionnaire targeting women aged 18–65 years residing in Palestine. The questionnaire was adapted from a previously published cervical cancer knowledge, attitudes, and practices instrument and was contextually modified for Palestinian women. The survey assessed sociodemographic characteristics, cervical cancer knowledge, attitudes toward screening, and self-reported screening history. Knowledge items were scored dichotomously, with correct responses assigned 1 point and incorrect, “don’t know,” or refused responses assigned 0 points. Attitude items were similarly scored, with medically appropriate responses assigned 1 point and other responses assigned 0 points. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with previous cervical cancer screening.</p> Results <p>A total of 707 women participated in the study. Only 67 participants, representing 9.5%, reported ever undergoing cervical cancer screening. The mean knowledge score was 9.7 ± 7.2 out of 32, indicating substantial knowledge gaps, while the mean attitude score was 5.45 ± 2.01 out of 8, suggesting generally favorable attitudes toward cervical cancer prevention. Knowledge and attitude scores were moderately correlated. In multivariable analysis, older age, marital status, educational level, and higher knowledge score were independently associated with self-reported previous screening, whereas attitude score was not independently associated with screening uptake.</p> Conclusions <p>Cervical cancer screening uptake among Palestinian women was very low despite generally favorable attitudes toward prevention. Higher knowledge was associated with previous screening, suggesting the need for primary healthcare-based health-promotion strategies that improve cervical-cancer-specific knowledge, clarify the purpose of preventive screening, and encourage provider-led screening recommendations during routine healthcare encounters.</p>

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Knowledge, attitudes, and factors associated with cervical cancer screening uptake among women in Palestine: a cross-sectional study

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月20日

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  • Leen Ghanim,
  • Baraa Musa,
  • Razan Massarwa,
  • Ibaa Mosleh,
  • Sura Manadre,
  • Abeer Bari,
  • Natalie Haj,
  • Yasmin Bozia,
  • Haya Shqerat,
  • Shahd Bakhtan,
  • Haya Alsheqerat,
  • Salahaldeen Deeb,
  • Alhareth M. Amro

摘要

Background

Cervical cancer remains a preventable yet significant public health concern worldwide, particularly in settings without organized screening programs. In Palestine, limited evidence exists regarding women’s knowledge, attitudes, and participation in cervical cancer screening. Understanding how knowledge and attitudes relate to screening participation is important for designing effective health-promotion strategies within primary healthcare settings. This study aimed to assess knowledge and attitudes toward cervical cancer and to identify factors associated with screening uptake among Palestinian women.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted between November and December 2025 using an online self-administered questionnaire targeting women aged 18–65 years residing in Palestine. The questionnaire was adapted from a previously published cervical cancer knowledge, attitudes, and practices instrument and was contextually modified for Palestinian women. The survey assessed sociodemographic characteristics, cervical cancer knowledge, attitudes toward screening, and self-reported screening history. Knowledge items were scored dichotomously, with correct responses assigned 1 point and incorrect, “don’t know,” or refused responses assigned 0 points. Attitude items were similarly scored, with medically appropriate responses assigned 1 point and other responses assigned 0 points. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with previous cervical cancer screening.

Results

A total of 707 women participated in the study. Only 67 participants, representing 9.5%, reported ever undergoing cervical cancer screening. The mean knowledge score was 9.7 ± 7.2 out of 32, indicating substantial knowledge gaps, while the mean attitude score was 5.45 ± 2.01 out of 8, suggesting generally favorable attitudes toward cervical cancer prevention. Knowledge and attitude scores were moderately correlated. In multivariable analysis, older age, marital status, educational level, and higher knowledge score were independently associated with self-reported previous screening, whereas attitude score was not independently associated with screening uptake.

Conclusions

Cervical cancer screening uptake among Palestinian women was very low despite generally favorable attitudes toward prevention. Higher knowledge was associated with previous screening, suggesting the need for primary healthcare-based health-promotion strategies that improve cervical-cancer-specific knowledge, clarify the purpose of preventive screening, and encourage provider-led screening recommendations during routine healthcare encounters.