Intention and self-efficacy for pap smear screening and Human Papilloma Virus vaccination among Saudi women at Najran city, KSA

Abstract

Exploring the women's intention of the core self-directed behaviors for cervical cancer prevention and their confident abilities for engagement is of utmost importance for targeted intervention development. This study investigates the Saudi women's intention and self-efficacy for Pap Smear Screening and HPV Vaccination in Najran city, KSA. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study incorporating a convenient sample of 1085 Saudi women through a social media-based four-part questionnaire: Basic Data and Reproductive Health History, Pap Smear Intention Scale, HPV vaccination intention scale, Self-Efficacy Scale for Pap smear testing, and HPV vaccination. The results indicated that 59.5% of the study participants had a low intention for Pap testing, while 62.5% of them had a high intention to receive the HPV vaccine, and the self-efficacy for both was high among 57.0% of them. Binary logistic regression showed higher odds for Pap testing intention among older women with enough family income and those with no history of Pap testing and higher gravidity and parity. Rural resident women and those having no family history of CC have Lower odds for HPV vaccination intention. Women of reproductive age and those with high gravidity and parity have higher odds. Self-efficacy has lower odds among divorced, rural resident women and those with no history of Pap testing or HPV vaccine; however, women with longer marriage duration and higher gravidity and parity had higher odds. Hence, there is an apparent high intention for HPV vaccination with a low intention for Pap testing among Saudi women in Najran despite having a higher self-efficacy. These necessitate establishing consolidated efforts for awareness-raising and advocacy programs to prevent CC. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[7s]: 61-73).