Survey on knowledge, attitude and practice of 15-49 years age group married women related to pap smear test in Yazd city in 2001

Background and Ëarly detection of cancer is a world wide need, to such an extent that, in 1970, WHÔ, proclaimed that, early detection of cancer is vital.Ïn women servical cancer is the most common after the skin, breast and lung cancer. Ït can be diagnosed easily prior to malignancy stage. Pap smear is one of the screening tests for diagnosis of cervical cancer. Ït has been estimated that pap smear screening test in every three years in the women of 20 to 65 years old will decline the rate of mortality and morbidity to this cancer for about 90%. This was a descriptive cross sectional study done on 300 women. The individuals under study were 15-49 years old women living in Yazd city who were selected randomly. Sampling was done in two phases. Ât first, 15 random clusterings from different regions of Yazd city were selected, and after 2 clusters, 20 families were selected. Âfter statistical analysis of questionnaires, the following results were obtained the highest knowledge on pap smear was observed in the women with age group under 25 years (34-3%) and the lowest knowledge in the women with age group of 35-49 years(21%). Level of knowledge in employed women was more than the housewifes. (42.9%). Women with university education had more adequate knowledge as compared with the women of high school level education (44.4%). Çonclusion: Ïn all, there was no significant relationship between the level of knowledge and demographic information such as (age, number of pregnancies, deliveries, profession and education of women and men, and preventive methods). There was significant relationship between the attitude P=0.07 and education P=0.023 of women. No relation was observed on the other demographic information. Çonsidering the obtained data, presentation of educational programs on pap smear in order to increase the level of knowledge and practice of the women is very necessary.