What Do Women Know About the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Molecular testing? A Study in a Primary Health Care Center in Tacna-Peru

Abstract

Objective: To determine the level of knowledge regarding Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and molecular testing among female users of a primary health center in Tacna, Peru. Materials and Methods: This was a basic, descriptive, and cross-sectional study. The population consisted of 446 female users treated at the La Esperanza Health Center. Non-probabilistic convenience sampling was used, resulting in a sample of 208 women. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire that evaluated knowledge about HPV and molecular testing for its detection. Results: A total of 46.20% of the participants showed a medium-to-low level of knowledge about the human papillomavirus, while only 31.3% demonstrated a high level of knowledge regarding molecular testing. Concerning gynecological screening methods, the Papanicolaou (Pap) test was the most known and utilized, with 85.10% of women reporting having undergone this examination. A lower proportion reported the use of Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) and molecular testing, both at 19.71%. Conclusion: Women present a predominantly medium level of knowledge about the human papillomavirus and molecular testing, highlighting the need to strengthen educational strategies focused on the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer.