CERVICAL CANCER: LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE (A KAP STUDY AMONG THE UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS OF PESHAWAR- PAKISTAN)

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p><strong>Introduction; </strong>This study assessed and compared knowledge of the disease, and prevention with treatment, attitude, and practices in relation to cervical cancer among undergraduate medical students of Peshawar. <strong>Methods; </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018, after approval from the Institutional Review Board Committee. All the students of 4th and 5th year MBBS were included in the study. The medical colleges of Peshawar city were selected randomly from the Public and Private sectors. The sample size of 682 was calculated through the online calculator, data was collected through a well-structured validated questionnaire and analyzed through SPSS Version- 19. Descriptive statistics as frequency, percentage, mean & standard deviation were calculated whereas inferential statistics were done through a chi-square test keeping 0.05 as a significant p-value for association among the variables. <strong>Results; </strong>among the total population, a 100% response rate was seen. The mean age was 22.36 years + 3.850. They showed knowledge 91.90% regarding cervical cancer disease, HPV as the cause of disease with 77.12%, mode of transmission 57.33%, awareness of prevention (92.11%), screening tests (70.03%), age of screening (80.94%), pap test (79.51%), HPV vaccine 81.74%, and age for vaccination as 55.44%. Favorable attitudes of the students were noted as they affirmed that every woman should undergo screening (85.81%), 88.41% preferred a national screening program and 81.72% wished for more training on this subject. Unfavorable practices were as only 1.90% had done pap tests and only 11.1% actually visited the gynecologist. <strong>Conclusion; </strong>Knowledge and attitudes were found to be significant among the undergraduates however behaviors were deficient. </p&gt