Cervix Cancer Awareness And Pap Smear Screening Practices AmongUrban Indian Women: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Cervix cancer is one of the most preventable yet prevalent cancers affecting women in India.Despite the availability of effective screening methods like the Pap smear and preventive vaccines against humanpapillomavirus (HPV), the burden of cervix cancer remains high due to poor awareness and underutilization ofscreening services, especially in low-resource settings. Urban women, though with relatively better access tohealthcare, may still lack adequate knowledge regarding cervix cancer prevention.Objectives: To assess the level of knowledge and awareness among urban women regarding Pap smear screening,cervix cancer, and HPV infection and to identify factors associated with awareness levels.Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics &Gynaecology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College & Hospital, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India, over a period of 12 months.A total of 480 urban women aged 21–60 years were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collectedthrough a pre-validated structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS v25. Descriptive statistics, chi-squaretests, and logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate associations between sociodemographic factors andawareness levels.Results: Overall, only 41.7% of women had heard of Pap smear screening, while 27.3% were aware of HPV as acausative agent of cervix cancer. Educational level, occupation, and monthly income were significantly associatedwith awareness (p < 0.001). Despite being from urban settings, misconceptions were common regarding thesymptoms, risk factors, and prevention methods for cervix cancer.Conclusion: The study highlights a critical gap in knowledge regarding cervix cancer screening and HPV amongurban Indian women. Health education campaigns targeting urban populations are essential to improve awarenessand promote early detection through screening practices.