INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF MEDICINE SECTION: GLOBAL HEALTH & HEALTH POLICY ISSN: 1755-7682 International Medical Society http://imedicalsociety.org 1 2016 Vol. 9 No. 282 doi: 10.3823/2153 © Under License of Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License This article is available at: www.intarchmed.com and www.medbrary.com Cervical Cytological Examination: Perceptions of Women Attended in Primary Health Care ORIGINAL Camila Ferreira da Silva 1 , Maria Isabelly Fernandes da Costa 2 , Kamila Ferreira Lima 3 , Wanderson Alves Martins 4 , Maria Nilcineide de Sousa Camurça 5 , Francisca Andrea Marques de Albuquerque 5 , Viviane Mamede Vasconcelos 6 , Patricia Neyva da Costa Pinheiro 7 , Mirna Albuquerque Frota 8 , Karla Maria Carneiro Rolim 9 , Raelson Ribeiro Rodrigues 10 , Izaildo Tavares Luna 11 , Luiza Luana de Araújo Lira Bezerra 12 1 Nurse. Graduated by Faculdade Integrada da Grande Fortaleza (FGF). 2 Nurse. Student of Nursing Postgraduate Program, Master Student level, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil. 3 Nurse. M.A. Student in Nursing by Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). 4 Nurse. Post Graduating in Oncological Nursing and in Health Science Teaching by AVM Faculdade Integrada. 5 Nurse. Specialist in Family Health by Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). 6 Nurse. PhD in Nursing by Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). 7 Nurse. PhD in Nursing by Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). 8 Nurse PhD by Rouen University, France (CHU/ROUEN) and by the Instituto de Saúde Coletiva (ISC) of Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA). 9 Nurse. PhD by Rouen University, France (CHU/ROUEN). Professor and Coordinator at Universidade de Fortaleza (UNIFOR). 10 Nursing undergraduate student at Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). 11 Nurse. PhD in Nursing in Health Promotion by Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). 12 Nurse. Master in Collective Health by Universidade Estadual do Ceará (UECE). Contact information: Maria Isabelly Fernandes da Costa.  isabellyfernandes165@yahoo.com.br Keywords Cervical Cancer; Pap Smear; Primary Health Care. Abstract Objectives: To assess the perception of women about prevention of cervical cancer, as well as to identify the factors that influence the adhesion to the exam and to describe the role of the nurse in gyne- cologic consultation from the perspective of the patients. Methods: Qualitative study, carried out in October and November 2015, with 22 women attended in a primary health care unit located in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, by means of semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Results: Three categories were identified: Meanings assigned to cer- vical cytological examination and adhesion to the exam; Barriers to taking periodic examination for prevention of cervical cancer; Role of the nurse in the prevention of cervical cancer. Conclusion: Health professionals working in primary health care, especially nurses, must know the cultural context in which women are included, as well as understand the meanings that they attribute to the cervical exam, so they can adopt effective interventions to im- prove the access to preventive examination and, consequently, reduce mortality rates related to this cancer.