Epidemiologic, quantitative, descriptive, transversal study. Carried out on nighttime public school, female students to assess their knowledge level regarding the Papanicolaou exam. Out of the 1035 women who were queried, 476 were over 18 and signed a release form to be part of the study. The questionnaire consisted of objective questions capable of identifying the women's a awareness regarding the exam, as well as the social epidemiologic profile of the target group. A health educational activity simulated the exam to inform the women. After the simulation, the questionnaire was repeated and it has been concluded that while 51,3% of all the women answered all questions correctly on the first instance, 75,63% of then got it right on the second time. The activity helped the women understand, to an extent, the importance of this particular exam, but this understand do not is linear.
Vaginal smears; Women's health; Uterine cervical neoplasms; Nursing