Cervical Cancer Screening in a Rural South African Context: The Interplay of Awareness, Cultural Beliefs, and Health-Seeking Behavior: Pilot Study

Background/Objectives: Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers among women of reproductive age, with 80% of the cases occurring in developing countries. Cervical cancer is largely preventable by effective screening programs. This study as-sessed the knowledge, attitudes, cultural beliefs, and screening practices related to cer-vical cancer among women in the rural community of Lutubeni, Eastern Cape Province. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 95 women aged ≥25 years attending Lutubeni Clinic. Data were collected using a structured, validated questionnaire covering demographics, reproductive health, knowledge of cervical can-cer, attitudes, cultural perceptions, and screening practices. Statistical analysis in-volved descriptive summaries, chi-square tests, and multinomial logistic regression. Results: Most participants exhibited poor knowledge of cervical cancer symptoms (47.4%) and risk factors (61.1%), with only 3.2% demonstrating good overall knowledge. Vaginal bleeding (60.0%) and foul-smelling discharge (50.5%) were the most recog-nized symptoms. Only 40.0% were aware of HPV vaccination. While 87.4% knew about cervical cancer screening, only 55.8% had ever been screened. Of these, 43.2% had screened only once, primarily at the clinic (33.7%), mostly initiated by health profes-sionals (41.1%). Positive attitudes toward screening were observed in 52.6%, while 88.4% held cultural beliefs that hinder open discussion about sexual health. Statistically sig-nificant factors associated with screening uptake included educational level (p = 0.047), knowledge of symptoms (p = 0.04), risk factors (p < 0.0001), prevention (p < 0.0001), and treatment (p = 0.001), as well as attitudes (p < 0.0001). Independent predictors of poor screening practice were holding a diploma (OR = 0.04; p = 0.042), good preventive knowledge (OR = 0.02; p = 0.012), and negative attitudes (OR = 36.22; p = 0.005). Conclusions: Despite high awareness, limited knowledge and negative attitudes, influenced by cultural norms, impede cervical cancer screening in rural communities.