Volume : 13, Issue : 08, August – 2026
Title:
KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICE REGARDING CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING AMONG WOMEN IN SAUDI ARABIA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Authors :
Maryam Almumtin, Saleha Ahmed El Eid, Mohammed Mahmoud Al Hadeeri
Abstract :
Background: Cervical cancer remains a significant public health challenge globally. All the early detection via Papanicolaou (pap) Mary testing and human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination significantly reduces disease, burden, uptake rates in Saudi Arabia, remain among the lowest International.
Objective: to systemically review and synthesise existing empirical literature regarding the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) concerning cervical cancer and screening among women residing in Saudi Arabia.
Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, systemic literature synthesis was conducted across major electronic databases (pub, cops, web of science, and directory of open Access journals). Study is published up to 2025 assessing KAP related to cervical cancer, Pap smear tests, and HPV among Saudi women were included. Data were extracted and evaluated using standardised quality assessment tools.
Results: Eleven primary studies encompassing diverse geographic regions across Saudi Arabia, were analysed. Overall knowledge regarding cervical cancer aetiology, HPV transmission, and the utility of Pap smear range from low to moderate (awareness of HPV as a positive agent: 14.4%-34.0%; Pap near awareness: 43.0%-67.6%). While general attitudes towards primary health were moderately favourable (47.0%-81.1% accepting the importance of screening), actual screening practice was striking poo, with historical pap near uptake reported between 5.7% and 25.8%. Primary barriers included lack of awareness/physician, recommendation, harassment/modesty, concerns, fear of procedural, discomfort, and misconceptions regarding cancer risk among unmarried or asymptomatic woman.. recommendation by primary healthcare physician was identified as the simple strongest driver for screening uptake.
Conclusion: a substantial disparity exists between favourable health attitudes and actual screening practice among women in Saudi Arabia. Strategic public health interventions, organised national screening programmes and physician lead education are urgently required to bridge this implementation gap.
Cite This Article:
Please cite this article in press Maryam Almumtin et al., Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice regarding Cervical Cancer screening among women in Saudi Arabia: A systemic review.,, Indo Am. J. P. Sci, 2026; 13(08).
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