Determination of the Relationship Between Women’s Health Literacy Level and Their Awareness of Gynecologic Cancers and Participation in Screening

Abstract Purpose: The research was conducted to examine the health literacy levels of women and to determine the relationship between health literacy levels and gynecological cancer awareness and participation in screening. Methods: The population of the descriptive and cross-sectional research consisted of women who applied to a Family Health Center in the Western Black Sea region of Turkey for any reason between March and September 2023. The study was completed with 487 women reached by random sample selection method. Data were collected by face-to-face survey method using the Introductory Information Form, Turkey Health Literacy Scale and Gynecological Cancers Awareness Scale. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman correlation analysis were used to evaluate the data. Results: The average score of the women who participated in the study on the Turkey Health Literacy Scale was 33.60±9.28 and the average score on the Gynecological Cancers Awareness Scale was 157.36±25.78. It has been determined that factors such as women's education level, employment status, economic status, and pap-smear test status affect gynecological cancer awareness (p <0.05). It was found that there was a significant relationship between women's health literacy level and their level of awareness of gynecological cancers and their participation in screenings (p<0.05). Conclusions: It was determined that the women who participated in the study had a limited level of health literacy and an above-medium level of gynecological cancer awareness. As the level of health literacy increases, awareness of gynecological cancer also increases. It has also been determined that women's health literacy levels affect their having pap-smear and mammography.