The Empowerment of Women of Childbearing Age through Participatory Action Research in Preventing Cervical Cancer

Abstract

AIM: This study aims to explore and analyze the effect of empowering women of childbearing age through the participatory action research method on cervical cancer prevention. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was qualitative and quantitative approaches. METHODS: A participatory action research approach to empower women of childbearing age and a quantitative pre-test and post-test without control approach was used to assess the changes that occur. Statistical analysis used: Paired t-test, to find out the mean difference before and after empowerment. Empowerment affects social changes in women of childbearing age in the prevention of cervical cancer. The Perwiritan and Moria groups not only carry out religious activities but also socialization and cervical cancer prevention campaigns. RESULTS: The results showed that empowerment had an effect on increasing the average score of knowledge, attitudes, and actions of women of childbearing age in preventing cervical cancer (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Empowerment of women of childbearing age is very effective in creating awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and actions in cervical cancer prevention. Empowerment can also be done for women in other communities. CONCLUSION: There is an increase in understanding of women of childbearing age and the situation in which PAR is carried out because of the emergence of change agents among women of childbearing age who continue to have dialectics.