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Page 57
Journal of Clinical Immunology and Allergy
ISSN: 2471-304X
16
th
EuroSciCon Conference on
Immunology
M a r c h 1 1 - 1 2 , 2 0 1 9
Am s t e r d a m , N e t h e r l a n d s
Immunology 2019
Objectives:
To evaluate the knowledge of Lebanese women about cervical cancer (CC) and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
To measure the uptake of the cervical cancer screening test (Pap smear), the uptake of HPV vaccination and to determine the
influencing factors.
Methods:
444 women with no medical background filled out a 32 item questionnaire. Collected data was analyzed in SPSS® v.
21.0.
Results:
45.7% aged 18 to 25 with high education qualifications (73.9%) and employed in a field not related to health (84.9%). They
did not visit a general physician (64%) or a gynecologist (64.6%) regularly. 85.6% were aware of CC with a median CC symptom
knowledge score of 3.00±2.13. HPV infection involvement in the pathogenesis of CC was identified in 53.9% of cases. 35.6% of
women were aware of HPV infection. The median HPV general knowledge score was 5.39±2.38 and the median HPV vaccination
score was 6.00±2.41. 37.6% of participants had been screened by Pap smear for CC at least once in their lives whereas 9% did
not know what a Pap smear was. Screening was significantly associated with CC awareness and regular visits to physicians.
Only 11.7% of participants aged 18 to 35 were vaccinated against HPV. Vaccination uptake was significantly associated with CC
awareness, religion, field of work and studies, and regular visits to gynecologists.
Conclusion:
Lebanese women residing in the urban communities are not well informed about CC and HPV. Screening by Pap
smear and HPV vaccination uptakes are non-satisfactory.
jacqueschoucair@hotmail.comWhat do Lebanese women know about cervical
cancer and humanpapillomavirus? A report on
awareness levels in urban communities
Jacques Choucair and Sara Abboud
Saint-Joseph University, Lebanon
J Clin Immunol Allergy 2019, Volume:5
DOI: 10.21767/2471-304X-C1-009