2024/10/10 by Asogun, Daniel, Alenoghena, Innocent, Egbefere, Henry
#Cervical Cancer #Screening #Women of reproductive age
paper · doi:10.60787/tnhj.v24i3.881
Background: Cervical cancer screening is an effective preventive approach to reduce the incidence of women developing cervical cancer. The utilization of Papanicolaou smear and HPV DNA testing has provided doctors with valuable tools for the early detection of women at risk. Method: This study involved 350 respondents and employed a multi-stage sampling technique. Data was collected using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data using IBM SPSS version 21.0 software. The Chi-square test was utilized to test for associations, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Result: The findings revealed a lack of knowledge regarding cervical cancer and screening. Only 136 (38.9%) of the respondents had heard about cervical cancer, and only 50 (14.3%) were aware of cervical cancer screening. Also, 184 (52.6%) had a positive attitude towards being screened, and 176 (50.3%) believed that they did not require their spouse's consent for screening. Regarding the practice of cervical cancer screening, only 22(6.3%) of the participants had undergone a cervical screening. Furthermore, no statistically significant correlation was found between sociodemographic variables and individuals' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cervical cancer screening. Conclusion: This study highlights the poor knowledge regarding cervical cancer and screening among the participants. However, a majority of them expressed willingness to undergo cervical cancer screening and recognized the importance of early detection for better treatment outcomes.