Health Beliefs about Cervical Cancer in University Students

Problem StatementThere are approximately 60000 women with cervical cancer in Europe and of these, 30000 die annually. Through screening programmes we can prevent many cases of illness and death (ECCA, 2013).Research QuestionsWhat are the health beliefs about cervical cancer in university students? Purpose of the Study: To identify health beliefs about cervical cancer in university students.Research MethodsThis is a quantitative, analytical, comparative and correlational study, with a sample of 345 university students. The data collection instrument is a questionnaire that assesses the health beliefs about cervical cancer in university students and the Health Belief Scale (Patrão, 2002).FindingsThe participants have a low belief in vulnerability, an average belief in severity relative to cervical cancer, a high belief in benefits and indifference in the belief of barriers to screening.ConclusionsHealth professionals are fundamental in health education so that people will adopt healthy attitudes to health, to encourage adherence to screening for cervical cancer and to demystify wrong ideas.