Breast self-examination, mammography and Pap test among Turkish women: Role of healthcare professionals in Sivas.

Introduction: The aim of the present study is to determine how often women perform breast self-examination (BSE) and undergo mammography and Pap test, and how healthcare professionals affect them to do so.

Methods: This descriptive study was carried out with 1025 women, aged 20-82 years and living in the central district of Sivas, who presented to the Gynecology and Obstetrics Outpatient Clinics of Hospitals between January and December 2010, and who volunteered to participate in the study and gave their verbal agreement to the researchers.

Results: Out of the participants, 46.9% lacked mammogram knowledge, 13.2% received advice from healthcare professionals, and 20.1% thought that they were healthy and thus did not need mammography. Out of the participants, 45.9% lacked knowledge about the Pap test, 11.8% received advice from healthcare professionals, and 18.9% thought that they were healthy and thus did not need a 'Pap test'.

Conclusions: While one-fourth of the participants stated that they performed BSE and underwent mammography at least once, more than half reported that they did not have a Pap test. In preventive healthcare services, periodic health examinations and screenings for the most common types of women cancers should be increased; midwives should give education and counseling, and the importance of practices aimed at raising social awareness should be emphasized.