Understanding the practices and approaches for cervical cancer and its screening: A community-based cross-sectional study

Background: The objective of this study was to assess Omani women’s knowledge of cervical cancer (CC) and its screening, as well as their attitudes, screening practices, and perceived barriers. Methods: A nonexperimental cross-sectional study was conducted among women attending primary healthcare institutions in North Batinah Governorate, Oman. Results: A total of 431 women participated in this study. Most participants ( n = 324; 75.2%) demonstrated poor knowledge of CC, its cause, and human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) vaccination, whereas 259 (60.1%) exhibited an acceptable level of knowledge regarding Pap smears. Nearly all participants (99.8%) underwent regular screening for early detection of precancerous lesions. Attitudes toward HPV vaccination were overwhelmingly negative, with 99.8% opposing and only 0.2% supporting vaccination in young women. Screening uptake was low, with 32% having previously undergone a Pap smear, and 26.2% reporting receipt of the HPV vaccine. The most commonly reported barriers included lack of knowledge about CC and screening (48%), family or peer influence (37.4%), and the perception that screening was unnecessary for older women (36.2%). Conclusion: This study revealed substantial gaps in women’s knowledge, screening practices, and acceptance of HPV vaccination in Oman, underscoring the urgent need for policymakers to implement targeted health education initiatives and policy interventions to improve awareness, enhance screening uptake, and address the persistent misconceptions regarding CC prevention.