The Effect of Face-to-face and Online Health Education on Women's Cervical Cancer Knowledge, Health Beliefs and Screening

In this randomized controlled trial, participants were assigned to three groups by the block randomization method and the study was conducted in a single-blind parallel groups design. It was carried out at Martyr Zafer Çalışkan Family Health Center between January 2023 and July 2023. The eligibility of female participants between the ages of 30-65 to participate in the study was evaluated by the researcher. The sample size was calculated based on the rate of cervical cancer screening test in Kurt and Akyüz's study. G Power 3.1.9.2 package program was used in the calculation. Taking into account possible data loss, it was decided to add 30% backup participants. In this context, the sample of the study was calculated as 126 participants, 42 in each group. The patients who volunteered to participate in the study were examined whether they met the inclusion criteria other than the level of drug compliance. Written informed consent was obtained from the participants who met the inclusion criteria and a questionnaire form was applied. Participants were assigned to groups using the block randomization method. No intervention was made in the control group. At the end of the following first week, face-to-face and online training was provided with the participants in the online training group, one-to-one home visits, face-to-face training and video calls. Four weeks later, a brief reminder was made by phone call. At the end of eight weeks, a second questionnaire was applied to all groups.

The criteria for inclusion in this study are;

• Volunteering to participate in the study,
• To be between the ages of 30-65,
• Being a woman
• Being married/having an active sexual life,
• Having the technical equipment to make video calls,
• To be literate in Turkish,
• Not having had an HPV DNA / Pap Smear test in the last 5 years. -

Exclusion criteria

The criteria for not being included in this study are;

• Being pregnant or in the postpartum trimester,
• Having a family history of cervical cancer,
• Having had a hysterectomy operation,
• To have received any previous training on cervical cancer,
• Having a vaginal infection,
• To be vaccinated against HPV (3 doses). -