Privacy concerns, fear of pain, and health anxiety in women participating in cervical cancer screening: A cross-sectional study

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate privacy concerns, fear of pain (FoP), and health anxiety (HA) among women who had undergone a smear test. The study was conducted with 345 Turkish women between October 15, 2023, and April 14, 2024. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Scale of Body Privacy in Gynecology and Obstetrics (SBPGO), the Fear of Pain Questionnaire (FPQ), and the Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI). Variables associated with SBPGO, FPQ, and HAI total scores were examined using backward linear regression analysis. Privacy concerns were significantly associated with the education level of participant’s spouse, participant’s age, FPQ total scores, and referral by a health professional (p < 0.001). Higher FoP scores were also significantly associated with higher HA (p < 0.001). Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, including marital status, reproductive history, and family history of cancer, were found to be associated with variations in privacy concerns, FoP, and HA.