Euthanasia has been a research subject among scientists for several decades. The aim of the present study was to examine the attitudes of health professionals toward the bioethical issue of euthanasia. The sample consisted of 465 health and social care professionals working in Health Services in Greece. Participants completed an online sociodemographic questionnaire as well as a set of short-form open-ended questions about euthanasia. Although the majority of health professionals (61.9%) agreed with the legalization of euthanasia in Greece, a lower percentage of participants reported that they have desired or asked for euthanasia (28.8%) or they have experienced a euthanasia case (9.0%). Similarly, fewer participants stated they had wished for the possibility of euthanasia for one of their patients (47.5%), while the majority (71.4%) reported that they had never attended a specific course or received training about euthanasia at any educational level. Incurable, irreversible diseases and cancer end-stage patients were the two main categories for which health professionals would suggest the performing of euthanasia. The most consistent sociodemographic variables associated with the majority of the study questionnaire items were age, gender and religiosity, while the most consistent working characteristics were hospitalization of end-stage patients and profession. The findings of this study point out the shortcomings of the educational system as well as the impact of religious beliefs on health professionals' attitudes toward euthanasia.

CONTEXT:Child-focused healthcare professionals serve as primary providers of both physical and psychosocial care to pediatric patients and their families. Consequently, they are exposed to substantial occupational and emotional challenges in the course of their practice. OBJECTIVES:This study examined the levels and multidimensional aspects of occupational stress, coping strategies, and resilience among healthcare professionals providing care to pediatric patients and their families in Greece. METHODS:Socio-demographic characteristics, perceived occupational stress, coping strategies (WCQ), and resilience were assessed in a sample of 202 child-focused healthcare (physicians and nurses) and social care professionals (social workers, psychologists, and special education professionals) employed across a range of health and psychosocial services in Greece. Multiple linear regression analyses using the enter method were performed to examine the associations among resilience, occupational stress, and coping strategies while controlling for relevant demographic and occupational variables. RESULTS:Social support was significantly associated with gender. Positive coping was associated with age, work experience, and the WCQ subscales Social Support, Daydreaming, and Avoidance. Avoidance coping was positively associated with profession and Daydreaming. Significant differences were also observed according to age, occupational stress, positive coping, social support, and resilience. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrated that, positive coping was independently and most strongly associated with resilience (p < 0.001), whereas work stress was independently and negatively associated with resilience (p = 0.001), with higher perceived stress corresponding to lower levels of resilience. CONCLUSIONS:The findings highlight the central role of positive coping in relation to resilience among child-focused healthcare professionals, while demonstrating the negative association between occupational stress and resilience. These results underscore the need for interventions that strengthen effective coping strategies, reduce work-related stress, and enhance resilience among healthcare professionals. They also identify important knowledge gaps and support the need for future research examining occupational stress, its long-term consequences, and the coping mechanisms and resilience among professionals working with children and families.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:Professional quality of life influences patient care, staff well-being, and organizational efficacy. The COVID-19 pandemic placed pressure on healthcare professionals, disrupting their professional quality of life and imposing a psychological burden. In Greece, these issues were intensified by a decade of economic crisis, marked by constrained healthcare budget, personnel shortages, and insufficient resources. This study investigates the pandemic's impact on the professional quality of life of Greek healthcare professionals to support targeted interventions. METHODS:A cross-sectional study was conducted using descriptive statistics. The participants were a convenience sample of 246 healthcare professionals from a Greek regional university hospital with at least one year of experience and who had worked with COVID-19-positive or potentially exposed but asymptomatic patients. Data were collected between March and June 2021 using the Professional Quality of Life Scale (version 5). RESULTS:Of the 246 participants, 81.3% were women and 33.8% were aged 50 or older. Moderate concern and fear regarding COVID-19 were reported, with 34.6% extremely afraid of transmitting the virus to family or friends and 22.8% to patients or their families. Overall professional quality of life was moderate: compassion satisfaction was moderate to high, while burnout and secondary traumatic stress were moderate to low. Higher compassion satisfaction was linked to holding a position of responsibility. Burnout was associated with having children, permanent employment, years of experience, and increased pandemic-related fear. Higher secondary traumatic stress was associated with older age, more years of experience, and greater pandemic-related fear. CONCLUSIONS:These findings support international research and highlight that the moderate levels observed indicate intrinsic motivation based on professionalism in patient care, providing evidence of resilience and coping mechanisms that reduce psychological consequences on well-being due to the pandemic.

Context: Child life healthcare professionals function as primary providers of both physical and psychosocial care to pediatric patients and their families. Consequently, these professionals encounter substantial occupational and emotional challenges in the course of their practice. Objectives: The study examined the levels and multidimensional aspects of job – related stress, as well as the coping strategies and resilience, among healthcare professionals providing care to pediatric patients and their families in Greece. Methods: Socio-demographic characteristics, levels of perceived occupational stress, coping strategies (WCQ), and resilience were assessed among a sample of 202 child life health (physicians, nurses) and social care professionals (social workers, psychologists, and special education professionals), employed across diverse health and psychosocial services in Greece. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using the enter method to examine the relationships among resilience, work stress and coping strategies, while controlling for relevant demographic and occupational variables. Results: WCQ–Social Support was significantly associated with gender. WCQ–Positive Coping was associated with age, work experience, and the WCQ subscales Social Support, Daydreaming, and Avoidance. Avoidance was positively associated with profession and Daydreaming. Significant differences were observed for age, work stress, Positive Coping, Social Support, and resilience. In hierarchical multiple regression, Positive Coping was the strongest predictor of resilience (p < .001), whereas work stress was a significant negative predictor (p = .001), indicating that higher perceived stress was associated with lower resilience. Conclusions: The findings of the study highlight the urgent need for interventions aimed at reducing stress and strengthening effective coping and resilience mechanisms among healthcare personnel, while also underscoring significant knowledge gaps in this research field and the need for future studies on occupational stress, its long-term effects, and coping and resilience among healthcare professionals supporting children and families.

Background/Objectives: Despite growing recognition of empathy as a cornerstone of high-quality care, its role within interprofessional collaboration remains underexplored. While the Interprofessional Education Collaborative explicitly references empathy only under the Values and Ethics domain, emerging evidence suggests its potential relevance across all four core competencies. This study aimed to explore the influence of empathy on each of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative core competencies and to highlight its role in the contemporary interprofessional healthcare environment. Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted to identify articles published in English between 2014 and 2025, through searches of PubMed and Scopus. The sub-competency statements of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative framework were used to guide keyword selection and map concepts that empathy may influence. Results: Seventy-two articles were included in this narrative review. According to the literature, evidence suggests that empathy may support humanitarian values and ethical decision making (Values and Ethics), but the mechanisms underlying this remain to be considered. Empathy has also been discussed in relation to therapeutic and team communication (Communication), as well as to processes such as conflict resolution, supportive leadership, team cohesion, and staff well-being (Teams and Teamwork). The evidence regarding the Roles and Responsibilities domain remains relatively limited, preventing definitive conclusions about the potential influence of empathy in this domain. A clear distinction emerges between clinical and interprofessional empathy, with evidence suggesting that both are essential for collaborative practice. Conclusions: Empathy appears to be linked with several domains of interprofessional collaboration and may represent an important relational component in collaborative healthcare practice. However, the influence of empathy may depend on structural and organizational conditions and may vary across different interprofessional healthcare contexts. These findings offer a conceptual bridge between empathy and interprofessional collaboration, providing actionable insights for educators, leaders, and policymakers involved in healthcare training.

Background/Objectives: Toxic leadership has arisen as a matter of serious concern within the nursing profession, with growing evidence linking it to diminished job satisfaction, ineffective conflict management, and weakened organizational commitment. These effects not only compromise nurse retention but also threaten the quality of patient care and overall healthcare outcomes. This scoping review aimed to examine the impact of toxic nursing leadership on staff retention by synthesizing evidence from existing literature and a broad range of published studies. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL and Science Direct databases yielding 1356 articles. Of these, 18 met the predefined inclusion criteria. The scoping review followed the six-stage methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley. Thematic analysis identified two core categories: (a) key dimensions shaping perceptions of toxic leadership and (b) the impact of toxic leadership on nursing staff retention. Results: The findings reveal that toxic leadership contributes to organizational silence, emotional exhaustion, diminished psychological safety, and low professional commitment. Such behaviors not only jeopardize nurse engagement and productivity but also negatively affect patient safety and care quality. In contrast, leadership styles such as transformational and transactional leadership are associated with higher job satisfaction, reduced burnout, and improved retention outcomes. Conclusions: This review underscores the need for healthcare organizations to identify and address toxic leadership behaviors promptly. By promoting supportive and ethical leadership styles, institutions can foster a healthier workplace, improve nurse retention, and ultimately enhance the quality of care. The study offers practical implications for healthcare administrators, emphasizing leadership development.

Effective nurse leadership increases nurses’ job satisfaction, performance, motivation, and empowerment. Ensuring nurses’ organizational and professional commitment is vital for addressing quality, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness challenges in a high-demanding healthcare environment. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of transformational leadership on nurses’ organizational and professional commitment. A systematic review was conducted using the Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed/Medline, Scilit.net, and Wiley Online Library databases. Original research studies published between 2016 and 2024 focusing exclusively on nurses’ professional and organizational commitment and transformational leadership were included. The indexing terms “nursing leadership”, “transformational leadership”, “professional/organizational commitment”, and “nursing” were used along with the Boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT. According to the findings, transformational leadership practices increase nurses’ organizational and professional commitment through vision sharing, motivation, career development, interpersonal communication, a positive working environment, and productive resources management. The healthcare policy makers should invest in organizing, supporting, and promoting relational leadership practices to retain their nursing workforce and obtain their organizational and professional commitment to ensure high care quality.

Context: A plethora of actors like individual and professional characteristics, religiosity, personality-related factors, personal experience of death, and empathy form the attitude of health professionals in patient care in clinical settings and euthanasia. Objectives: The aim of the study was to measure the attitudes of health professionals toward euthanasia. In addition, we examined how individual and professional characteristics, religiosity, death perspectives, and empathy may predict health professionals’ attitudes toward euthanasia. Methods: We collected socio-demographic characteristics and attitudes toward euthanasia and the end of life as well as empathy dimensions from 465 health professionals working in health services in Greece. Multiple linear regression was applied to test the association of the attitudes about euthanasia with (1) demographic and professional variables, (2) perceptions about death, and (3) empathy. Results: Findings of the study revealed that health professionals’ attitudes towards euthanasia are significantly associated with their age, the target group of their patients, religious beliefs, and their attitudes about the end of life. Meanwhile, empathy was an insignificant predictor of ATE (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Working in clinical settings with patients, especially at the end of their lives, will always include ethical issues for health professionals. Training and supporting new generations of health professionals in patient care and bioethics are crucial in order to face these ethical issues during their professional careers.

Background: Women carry out an array of demanding tasks due to their multiple roles as mothers, workers, spouses, and caregivers. Their responsibilities to the family and society are essential throughout life, but they become even more important at times of crisis and unanticipated events. All these obligations may have a detrimental effect on their mental health and general well-being. According to the social model of health, through personal development groups, women improve their health because they can transform their personalities, enhance their social and personal abilities, and strengthen their resilience to unforeseen occurrences, health crises, and adversity. Aim of the study: This follow-up study examined the viewpoints of women regarding the durability and efficacy of group therapy’s positive impact on their resilience and mental health, especially through unforeseen circumstances and crises. This group of women had taken part in group therapy six years ago to strengthen their resilience and improve their mental health. Methods: Data collection was implemented through semi-structured in-person interviews conducted from December 2020 to March 2021. Five topics emerged from the framework analysis: (a) personal development and mental health; (b) reinforcement of their resilience; (c) group therapy and women’s health during the COVID-19 pandemic; (d) an assessment of group therapy on women’s health through imagery; (e) future recommendations. Results: Most of the women stated that group treatment had a beneficial impact in terms of improving their individual abilities. The group experience was described as a bridge that allowed them to recognize and accept their emotions. Since COVID-19, women have developed helpful coping strategies to deal with daily tension, loneliness, and work-related stress. Conclusions: Our research results indicate that group therapy is a useful tool for women’s empowerment and mental health in times of crises and adversity. Social policy should take it into account in order to meet women’s highly demanding roles and personal needs.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the level of job satisfaction and the associated factors among health and social care employees of the public sector providing services in open care community settings and home-based care for the older people in Greece. Method: The self-administered questionnaire, Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), was distributed to personnel across all four prefectures in the Region of Crete (Greece). In total, 228 valid responses were received. Results: Overall job satisfaction was moderate (mean = 134, SD = 24). Employees reported greater satisfaction with the supervision (mean = 19.3), nature of work (mean = 19.2), and coworkers (mean = 19.0). Lower satisfaction was observed in relation to promotion (mean = 9.7). Women scored significantly higher satisfaction than men in pay (mean = 10.9) and fringe benefits (mean = 12.3), while age was associated with differences in pay and promotion satisfaction. Variations were also found according to service unit and contract type, with permanent staff reporting higher satisfaction (mean = 11.3) in the Promotion scale than temporary staff (mean = 9.2) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Findings emphasize the need to institute targeted short- and long-term measures to improve job satisfaction in community-based care for older people. Short-term actions should include the introduction of fair and competitive pay structures, improvements in fringe benefits, and the implementation of supportive leadership practices. Meanwhile, long-term strategies should focus on transparent promotion systems, structured professional development and continuing education opportunities, and the provision of stable contracts to retain skilled personnel.

Prisoners are exposed to a deprived environment, which triggers mental illness and psychological problems. Abundant research has reported that mental illness problems, suicide, aggression, and violent behaviors occur in incarcerated people. Although the mental healthcare system for incarcerated people is emphasized, little research has been conducted due to their limited environment. In particular, the regulation of negative emotion is significantly associated with mental illness and anti-social and violent behaviors. However, mental healthcare through cognitive emotional regulation based on cognitive behavioral therapy has not been fully investigated. This study identified four different patterns in cognitive strategies for regulating negative emotions. Cognitive emotional regulation strategies (i.e., self-blame, other-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, putting into perspective, positive refocusing, positive reappraisal, acceptance, and refocus on planning) were examined and addressed their vulnerable psychological factors. We analyzed a total of 500 prisoners’ responses to the cognitive emotional regulation questionnaire (CERQ) by latent class profiling analysis. A four-class model was identified based on the responses of CERQ. In addition, the significant effect of depression on classifying the four classes was found. Furthermore, differences in the average number of incarcerations were also shown across four classes. In conclusion, Class 2 (Negative Self-Blamer) uses dysfunctional/negative strategies that may place the group at a high risk of psychological disorder symptoms, including depression and post-traumatic stress. Class 3 (Distorted Positivity) uses positive/functional strategies but seems to utilize the positive strategies in distorted manners to rationalize their convictions. Class 1 (Strong Blamer) and Class 4 (Moderator Blamer) showed similar patterns focused on the “other-blame” strategy for regulating negative emotion, but they are at different levels, indicating that they attribute incarceration to external factors. These findings provide useful information for designing mental healthcare interventions for incarcerated people and psychological therapy programs for clinical and correctional psychologists in forensic settings.

This study aimed to reflect on mental health professionals’ experiences with online counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their perceptions and recommendations for the future. The method of qualitative research with semi-structured interviews was used. The sample consisted of 17 mental health professionals working in the public or private sectors. A framework analysis revealed four main themes, namely (a) the evaluation of online counseling; (b) comparing in-person and online counseling; (c) factors influencing the effectiveness of online counseling; and (d) suggestions for the future use of online counseling. Most therapists reported that their overall experience with online counseling was positive. The main advantages cited were the accessibility for everyone and the reductions in time, money, and distance. Its primary drawbacks included less nonverbal communication, the inability to employ certain therapeutic tools, problems with confidentiality, lack of experience, and technical difficulties during online sessions. Its effectiveness depends on contextual factors and factors related to the therapeutic process itself. Organizational planning, training, and a solid implementation strategy may help ensure that this communication medium is used to its fullest potential. In addition, the possible utilization of remote counseling combined with in-person psychotherapeutic intervention methods will provide solutions for the future, especially in crisis situations.

Poverty dimensions and COVID-19 are risk factors for a low quality of life and anxiety. The aims of this study are to: (a) examine the quality of life and anxiety levels of citizens living under poverty and (b) explore whether this population's characteristics shaped the way the pandemic affected their anxiety and quality of life. Data were collected from two groups, each one consisting of 50 citizens of the Attica region of Greece who live in poverty. The first wave was collected in 2019 and the second in 2021. The same information was collected in both waves, including individual characteristics, quality of life dimensions, and anxiety traits. Both sample groups were receivers of "TEBA," a social solidarity allowance for people living in poverty in Greece. Specific individual characteristics were more strongly associated with better quality of life and different anxiety levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results offer potential insights into specific sociodemographic characteristics which are strongly associated with quality of life and/or anxiety, factors which are being constantly affected by the poverty phenomenon.

COVID-19 has affected the global community as it has severely raised population mortality and morbidity rates. Vaccination was seen as a mechanism against the spread of the pandemic. Yet, there are still several reservations about its adoption. Professionals in the field of health care have a crucial frontline role. The present study uses a qualitative research approach to examine Greek health professionals' views on vaccination acceptance. According to the key findings, health professionals largely accept vaccination. The main reasons cited were scientific knowledge, a sense of obligation to society, and protection from disease. However, there are still numerous restrictions to adhering to it. This is due to the lack of knowledge of certain scientific disciplines or to misinformation, as well as to religious or political convictions. The issue of trust is central to the acceptance of vaccinations. According to our research, the most adequate strategy to enhance immunization and ensure that it is widely accepted is to promote health educational interventions for professionals working in primary care settings.

Living with a chronic disease involves a variety of daily life limitations that severely affect people in their daily life. Identifying and promoting self-management strategies may improve health outcomes and increase patients’ autonomy. The purpose of the present study was to explore the perceived limitations and self-management strategies of elder patients suffering from chronic diseases. An inductive content analysis was applied, with a purposive sampling of 21 patients living with chronic conditions. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Two main-categories were emerged from content analysis, namely “Limitations of daily life” and “Disease Management”. Physical restrictions and negative feelings were referred to as daily burdens, while scheduling and self-care, supporting environment and technology were related to disease management. Information, training and provision of digital literacy may increase patients' self-efficacy in managing their chronic condition.

Background and Objectives: Older patients' needs are rarely examined beforehand, and thus, although technology-based tools can enhance self-management, acceptability rates are still low. This study aimed to examine and compare self-reported needs, priorities, and preferences of older patients with heart failure (HF), diabetes mellitus type II (DM2), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) toward technology use to enhance self-management. Materials and Methods: A convenience sample of 473 participants over 60 s (60.5% females), diagnosed with HF (n= 156), DM2 (n = 164), or COPD (n = 153) was recruited. They were administered a questionnaire about the usefulness of technology in general and in specific areas of disease management. Results: Most participants (84.7%) admitted that technology is needed for better disease management. This was equally recognized across the three groups both for the overall and specific areas of disease management (in order of priority: "Information", "Communication with Physicians and Caregivers", and "Quality of Life and Wellbeing"). Sociodemographic differences were found. Cell phones and PCs were the devices of preference. The four common features prioritized by all three groups were related to 'information about disease management' (i.e., monitoring symptoms, reminders for medication intake, management and prevention of complications), whereas the fifth one was related to 'communication with physicians and caregivers (i.e., in case of abnormal or critical signs). The top disease-specific feature was also monitoring systems (of respiratory rate or blood sugar or blood pressure, and oxygen), whereas other disease-specific features followed (i.e., maintaining normal weight for HF patients, adjusting insulin dose for DM2 patients, and training on breathing exercises for COPD patients). Conclusions: Older individuals in these three groups seem receptive to technology in disease management. mHealth tools, incorporating both common and disease-specific features and addressing different chronic patients, and also being personalized at the same time, could be cost-saving and useful adjuncts in routine clinical care to improve self-management.

Abstract Objective To determine the levels of burnout among Greek nurses during the first wave of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to investigate the relationship among levels of burnout, satisfaction and concern about information, personal protection equipment (PPE), and safety for COVID-19. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected by using the Burnout subscale of the Greek version of the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Questions concerning satisfaction and concern about information, PPE, and safety for COVID-19 were added. Convenience sampling method was employed. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis were applied, and distributions were tested for their symmetry using Bloom's method. Results The sample comprised of 301 nurses working in public and private hospitals in Greece. A moderate level of burnout was found among the Greek nurses (mean = 29.95, ±4.75). Regarding satisfaction and concern about information, PPE, and safety for COVID-19, nurses expressed overall low satisfaction with a mean score of 1.96 (±0.77), and high levels of concern with a mean score of 3.19 (±0.85). Increased satisfaction regarding the information provided was significantly associated with decreased levels of burnout (β = −1.32, P < 0.001), and increased concern for COVID-19 was significantly associated with increased levels of burnout (β= 0.83, P = 0.010). Conclusions Greek nurses expressed low satisfaction concerning information, PPE, and safety for COVID-19 and high levels of concern of possible COVID-19 transmission. Nevertheless, a moderate level of burnout was found.

Quality is a multidimensional issue involving various features that depend on service performance and personal assessment. Clarifying the concept of quality is essential in order to further facilitate the understanding and improvement of quality in healthcare. The purpose of this study was to investigate how clinical nurses, providing care to adult medical patients, perceive and define the concept of quality nursing care. A descriptive qualitative research design was applied. A purposive sampling strategy was used to recruit nurses from the clinical sector of a general public hospital in Athens, Greece. Ten female nurses from the medical sector participated the study. Data collection was conducted through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the verbatim data. Four categories were revealed from the data analysis, namely: (a) “Quality care is holistic care”, (b) “Good care is an interpersonal issue”, (c) “Leadership is crucial”, and (d) “Best care is our responsibility”. Quality care was defined as holistic care, addressing all patient needs with competency and aiming for the best patient outcomes. It was associated with communication, teamwork, good leadership, and personal commitment. By developing an in-depth and mutual understanding about what quality means, nurse leaders and practitioners may collaborate in finding common paths to support quality interventions and enhance quality nursing care in clinical practice.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, nurses employed in the clinical sector faced a number of difficulties associated with excessive workload, increased stress, and role ambiguity, which impacted nurses themselves and patient care. The aim of the present study was to investigate how Greek hospital nurses working in non-COVID units experienced the virus outbreak during the first wave of the pandemic. A descriptive qualitative research design was applied using a content analysis approach. To recruit the study participants a purposive sampling strategy was used. Ten nurses participated in the study. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews. Content analysis revealed three themes namely, (a) emotional burden, (b) professional commitment, and (c) abrupt changes. Six subthemes were formulated and assimilated under each main theme respectively. Organizational changes, emotional burdens and feelings of fear and uncertainty, appeared to have a crucial effect on nurses and patient care. However, the professional commitment and the nurses' effort to provide excellent nursing care remained high. Nurses demonstrated that despite the burdens caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the pandemic era created opportunities for thoroughness and accuracy in nursing care.

The present study examines: (a) the knowledge of healthcare students on cervical cancer (CC) issues and the use of related preventive services, as well as their association with the field of study and other sociodemographic characteristics; (b) the possible effect of social capital and its parameters. A cross-sectional study was conducted, using a convenience non-probability sampling technique. The final sample consisted of forty-nine social work and fifty-one nursing students. The two groups were similar regarding their sociodemographic characteristics and the knowledge and use of gynecological preventive services. However, the nursing students undertook a PAP smear check-up to a lesser extent (48.6%) compared to social work students (51.4%) (p = 0.026). The social capital scores were high for both groups, but social work students were significantly more 'Tolerant to diversity'. For the total sample, only the 'Family and friends connections' subscale correlated with knowledge about the existing gynecological preventive services. Among the main reasons explaining university students' avoidance of preventive testing were the feelings of fear and embarrassment associated with the PAP smear test. Given the significance of the future professional roles of healthcare students as information sources and leaders in women's CC preventive behavior, understanding the individual factors contributing to their own adherence is essential. It is equally important to increase their scientific knowledge through the improvement of academic curricula regarding these issues.