Background:The research was developed within the framework of the project “Initiative against Cervical Cancer in El Salvador”, which takes place through a tripartite alliance between the Ministry of Public Health(MINSAL), the Salvadorian Association for the Prevention of Cancer (ASAPRECAN) and the Salvadorian Demographic Association(ADS). This research was sponsored by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
Aim:To count with objectively verifiable indicators about the knowledge, attitudes and practices on cervical cancer, the Human Papillomavirus and the prevention procedures in women between 25 and 64 years of age of the departments of Santa Ana and Sonsonate, Republic of El Salvador, Central America.
Methods:The approach of the research was quantitative. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study through the follow up of a population survey of a representative and probability sample of 838 women under those ages, in urban and rural areas of both departments.
Results:The results of the study show that a few women of Santa Ana or Sonsonate have an appropriate knowledge about cervical cancer. More than 90% of the women reported they have heard about Papanicolaou test; however the information they were given is not really good. 80% of the women reported they have gone through the Pap test in the last three years. 34% of women reported they have had the information about the Human Papillomavirus. The vaccine against the HPV is hardly known.
Conclusions:In general, the results of this research show the necessary contents to be included in the components of information, education and communication of the project “Initiative Against Cervical Cancer in El Salvador”, being this the main measure for a higher impact in the diminishment of the incidence of cases reported with cervical cancer, as well as women deaths by this cause in El Salvador.