Knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer and prevention measures among female students in Poland: a cross-sectional, decade apart study

Objective: Cervical cancer (CC) is a global health issue, despite the availability of effective preventive measures. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the comprehension of CC and its preventive measures among 17-25-year-old female students living in southern Poland, to compare the results with the data obtained in 2012 and to propose actionable recommendations for improving the current state of affairs. Methods: The study collected data from 464 female students during a ten-month period in 2022 using a pre-validated tool developed by our group, CCKP-64 categorized into sections: personal information, basic CC knowledge, risk factor assessment, awareness of primary and secondary prevention, and sources of information Results: The 98.92% of participants were aware of CC, 42.24% linked it to an infection. Genetic factors and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection were commonly identified as risk factors. Most of the participants (81.90%) knew about the Pap smear and planned to undergo the test (74.74%). The most common sources of information were the Internet (81.68%), family and friends (46.77%), and medical staff (42.89%). Comparison with the 2012 cohort indicated a decrease in awareness of HPV vaccine existence (69.85% vs. 53.23%, p<0.001) and cytological examination (91.21% vs. 81.90%, p<0.001), but increase in percentage of vaccinated population (9.35% vs. 19.43%, p=0.001). Conclusion: The insufficient knowledge and deteriorating trends in CC prevention among young women over the last decade are concerning. The proportion of vaccinated women remains unsatisfactory. Measures to enhance awareness of national reimbursed HPV vaccination program are necessary.