{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]],"date-time":"2026-07-10T18:13:59Z","timestamp":1783707239169,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]],"date-time":"2026-07-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783641600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"The Korea-US Collaborative Cancer R&D Program funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea","award":["24H1071-3"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["24H1071-3"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Cervical cancer is a largely preventable and controllable disease. Social perceptions regarding sexual experiences and gynecological visits contribute to stigma, which serves as a major barrier to screening and human papillomavirus vaccination. This study explored how stigma is formed and reinforced within sociocultural norms and personal psychological barriers. Focus group interviews were conducted with 14 Korean women aged 20\u201329 years, divided into screeners and non-screener groups, on November 23, 2024. Based on the transcriptions, Thematic analysis was performed on the transcripts to organize codes into core themes,(in compliance with qualitative research reporting standards). A total of 28 codes were grouped into 10 sub-themes and classified by group. Among them, three sub-themes were common to both screeners and non-screeners, including negative perceptions of gynecological visits, stigma associated with sexually transmitted diseases, and barriers due to a lack of information. Among screeners, four sub-themes were identified: a desire for alternative notification methods for screening, psychological barriers to screening, a sense of burden from additional tests during visits, and reluctance to share screening experiences due to perceived prejudice from others. Among non-screeners, three sub-themes were identified: stigma toward patients with cervical cancer and lack of awareness of the sensitivity of cervical cancer. To promote cervical cancer preventive behaviors, stigma must be addressed as a social process rather than solely an individual issue. Practical solutions include creating a predictable screening environment (e.g., prior notification of procedures and additional tests with consent), improving patient-centered care, and enhancing notification methods. This study provides a foundation for developing stigma-related indicators and designing follow-up studies. (e.g., individual interviews\/large-scale surveys).<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0353242","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]],"date-time":"2026-07-10T17:22:55Z","timestamp":1783704175000},"page":"e0353242","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Understanding barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer prevention among young Korean Women: A focus group interview study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-7308-5150","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Hyun Jin","family":"Kim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hyeon Ji","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hye Young","family":"Shin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hye-Sun","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jae Kwan","family":"Jun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kui Son","family":"Choi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8101-7493","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Mina","family":"Suh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]]},"reference":[{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0353242.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(19)30482-6","article-title":"Estimates of incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in 2018: a worldwide analysis","volume":"8","author":"M Arbyn","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet Glob Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0353242.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"288","DOI":"10.1002\/ijc.35369","article-title":"Global landscape of cervical cancer incidence and mortality in 2022 and predictions to 2030: The urgent need to address inequalities in cervical cancer","volume":"157","author":"Z Li","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int J Cancer"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0353242.ref003","first-page":"322","article-title":"Global burden of cervical cancer: current estimates, temporal trend and future projections based on the GLOBOCAN 2022","volume":"5","author":"J Wu","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Natl Cancer Cent"},{"issue":"43","key":"pone.0353242.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5753","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vaccine.2017.05.069","article-title":"Human papillomavirus vaccines: WHO position paper, May 2017\u2013recommendations","volume":"35","author":"WH Organization","year":"2017","journal-title":"Vaccine"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100170","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pvr.2019.100170","article-title":"Towards the global elimination of cervical cancer","volume":"8","author":"K Canfell","year":"2019","journal-title":"Papillomavirus Res"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102878","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eclinm.2024.102878","article-title":"Impact of achieving WHO\u2019s 90-70-90 targets on cervical cancer elimination and potential benefits in preventing other HPV-related cancers in China: a modelling study","volume":"77","author":"Z Zou","year":"2024","journal-title":"EClinicalMedicine"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103290","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eclinm.2025.103290","article-title":"Global HPV vaccination programs and coverage rates: a systematic review","volume":"84","author":"J Han","year":"2025","journal-title":"EClinicalMedicine"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0353242.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"337","DOI":"10.3961\/jpmph.25.268","article-title":"Current Status of the National Cancer Screening Program in Korea: History, Achievements, and Future Directions","volume":"58","author":"K Lee","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Prev Med Public Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0353242.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.4111\/icu.20230385","article-title":"2023 Korean sexually transmitted infections guidelines by the Korean Association of Urogenital Tract Infection and Inflammation: Human papillomavirus vaccination","volume":"65","author":"CI Choi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Investig Clin Urol"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.5888\/pcd22.250139","article-title":"Use of cancer screening tests, United States, 2023","volume":"22","author":"SA Sabatino","year":"2025","journal-title":"Prev Chronic Dis"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0353242.ref011","article-title":"Regularity of cervical cancer screening in Korea: analysis using national public data for 12 years","volume":"35","author":"J-Y Kim","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Gynecol Oncol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0353242.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.4143\/crt.2024.325","article-title":"Trends in Cancer-Screening Rates in Korea: Findings from the National Cancer Screening Survey, 2004-2023","volume":"57","author":"E Kang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Cancer Res Treat"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref013","article-title":"Trends in cervical cancer screening rates among Korean women: results of the Korean National Cancer Screening Survey, 2005-2020","volume":"33","author":"HY Shin","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Gynecol Oncol"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0353242.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"898","DOI":"10.4143\/crt.2023.981","article-title":"Predicted Cervical Cancer Prevention: Impact of National HPV Vaccination Program on Young Women in South Korea","volume":"56","author":"K Kwak","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cancer Res Treat"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0353242.ref015","article-title":"Barriers and strategies for cervical cancer screening: What do female university students know and want?","volume":"16","author":"HY Shin","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0353242.ref016","first-page":"617","article-title":"Cervical cancer screening in Korean American women: findings from focus group interviews","volume":"34","author":"H Kim","year":"2004","journal-title":"Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0353242.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2016-013868","article-title":"Factors associated with participation in cervical cancer screening among young Koreans: a nationwide cross-sectional study","volume":"7","author":"HK Chang","year":"2017","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0353242.ref018","article-title":"Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review","volume":"16","author":"O Farajimakin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref019","article-title":"Identifying the key barriers, facilitators and factors associated with cervical cancer screening attendance in young women: A systematic review","volume":"21","author":"S Shpendi","year":"2025","journal-title":"Womens Health (Lond)"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0353242.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1186\/s12916-019-1271-3","article-title":"The Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework: a global, crosscutting framework to inform research, intervention development, and policy on health-related stigmas","volume":"17","author":"AL Stangl","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Med"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0353242.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"310","DOI":"10.1177\/0190272512459968","article-title":"Stigma and Status: The Interrelation of Two Theoretical Perspectives","volume":"75","author":"JW Lucas","year":"2012","journal-title":"Soc Psychol Q"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref022","volume-title":"Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity","author":"E Goffman","year":"2009"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0353242.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1016\/S0277-9536(02)00304-0","article-title":"HIV and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination: a conceptual framework and implications for action","volume":"57","author":"R Parker","year":"2003","journal-title":"Soc Sci Med"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106849","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ypmed.2021.106849","article-title":"Stigma and cervical cancer prevention: A scoping review of the U.S. literature","volume":"153","author":"CE Peterson","year":"2021","journal-title":"Prev Med"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0353242.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"966","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare13090966","article-title":"Understanding Disclosure Decisions and Communication About HPV-Related Cancer: A Qualitative Exploration of Stigma and Social Support","volume":"13","author":"S Villalona","year":"2025","journal-title":"Healthcare (Basel)"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0353242.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"349","DOI":"10.1093\/intqhc\/mzm042","article-title":"Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups","volume":"19","author":"A Tong","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int J Qual Health Care"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"214","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118715598.ch21","article-title":"COREQ (consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies).","volume-title":"Guidelines for reporting health research: a user\u2019s manual","author":"A Booth","year":"2014"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0353242.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa","article-title":"Using thematic analysis in psychology","volume":"3","author":"V Braun","year":"2006","journal-title":"Qualitative Research in Psychology"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"313","DOI":"10.1080\/07399339209516006","article-title":"Content analysis: method, applications, and issues","volume":"13","author":"B Downe\u2010Wamboldt","year":"1992","journal-title":"Health Care for Women International"},{"issue":"68","key":"pone.0353242.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3522","DOI":"10.21105\/joss.03522","article-title":"Taguette: open-source qualitative data analysis","volume":"6","author":"R Rampin","year":"2021","journal-title":"JOSS"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0353242.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2396","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-17324-w","article-title":"\u201cEasy women get it\u201d: pre-existing stigma associated with HPV and cervical cancer in a low-resource setting prior to implementation of an HPV screen-and-treat program","volume":"23","author":"RM Morse","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0353242.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1056","DOI":"10.1002\/pon.5051","article-title":"Women\u2019s perceptions of personalized risk-based breast cancer screening and prevention: An international focus group study","volume":"28","author":"L Rainey","year":"2019","journal-title":"Psychooncology"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref033","first-page":"970","article-title":"Reducing the Stigma of Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Through Supportive and Protected Online Communities","volume":"2024","author":"H Ryu","year":"2025","journal-title":"AMIA Annu Symp Proc"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0353242.ref034","article-title":"Understanding Comprehensive Sexuality Education: A Worldwide Narrative Review","volume":"16","author":"M Albert Sekhar","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.31083\/j.ceog4901022","article-title":"Human papillomavirus vaccine uptake in South Korea","volume":"49","author":"JY Choi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol"},{"key":"pone.0353242.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"363","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev.soc.27.1.363","article-title":"Conceptualizing stigma","volume":"27","author":"BG Link","year":"2001","journal-title":"Annu Rev Sociol"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0353242.ref037","article-title":"Cervical cancer stigma - A silent barrier to the elimination of cervical cancer","volume":"131","author":"HS Bae","year":"2025","journal-title":"Cancer"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0353242.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110","DOI":"10.1186\/s12916-018-1098-3","article-title":"Efficacy, effectiveness and safety of vaccination against human papillomavirus in males: a systematic review","volume":"16","author":"T Harder","year":"2018","journal-title":"BMC Med"},{"issue":"10197","key":"pone.0353242.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"497","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(19)30298-3","article-title":"Population-level impact and herd effects following the introduction of human papillomavirus vaccination programmes: updated systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"394","author":"HPV Vaccination Impact Study Group","year":"2019","journal-title":"Lancet"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0353242","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]],"date-time":"2026-07-10T17:23:03Z","timestamp":1783704183000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0353242"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Fatemeh","family":"Zarei","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"7","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0353242","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]]}}}