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Investigation of women’s access to cervical cancer screening during the Covid-19 pandemic: The case of Turkiye
  • Nuran GENCTURK,
  • Nilay Şener Özovalı
Nuran GENCTURK
Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Nilay Şener Özovalı
Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa
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Abstract

Objectives: Covid-19, which affected countries all over the world have disrupted health services and cancer screenings worldwide. The study aimed to determine women’s access to cervical cancer screening during the Covid-19 pandemic in Turkiye. Methods: The study was planned as a descriptive cross-sectional. This study was composed of women who have been sexually active. This study was completed with 443 people. The data were collected between 19 March and 27 April 2021 using the “Data Collection Form” and the “Attitudes Towards Prevention of Cervical Cancer Scale”. Results: More than half of the women stated that Covid-19 and pandemic restrictions did not affect their pap-smear. However, the Attitudes Towards Prevention of Cervical Cancer Scale Cognitive and Affective mean scores of the women who stated that the pandemic restrictions did not affect her getting pap-smear were lower than the women who stated that it did. This situation shows that the attitudes of women who stated that pandemic restrictions do not affect their pap smears have low attitudes towards protection from cervical cancer. Conclusions: It has been found that the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions in accessing the health services related to the pandemic have an impact on the attitudes towards protection from cervical cancer, such as having a pap smear. Relevance to clinical practice: Considering the unprecedented effects of the pandemic around the world, in order to avoid its negative effects on cancer screenings, health professionals working in public health services should not delay cervical cancer screening tests.