Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Cervical Cancer Screening among Female Undergraduate Students in the College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60787/tnhj.v24i4.931Keywords:
Prevention of cervical cancer, cancer screening, public health, risk perception, human papillomavirus, cross-sectional studyAbstract
Background: Cervical cancer poses a major threat to women's health, impacting their sexual, reproductive, and overall quality of life. Despite being a leading cause of death among middle-aged women in developing countries, it is largely preventable through early detection and treatment of precancerous lesions. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cervical cancer screening among female undergraduate students at the College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Nigeria.
Method: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted with 580 students, selected through multi-stage sampling. Data were collected using structured, interviewer-administered questionnaires and analyzed with IBM SPSS version 22.0. Quantitative data were presented as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, with a p-value of < 0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: The mean age of respondents was 20.3 ± 2.6 years. While 79.0% of participants demonstrated good knowledge of cervical cancer screening, only 1.7% had undergone screening. A statistically significant association was found between attitudes and screening practices (χ2 = 4.726, p = 0.030). Among the 98.1% who had never been screened, 74.0% perceived themselves as being at low risk. Despite high levels of knowledge and positive attitudes (80.3%), the actual uptake of screening was very low (1.7%).
Conclusion: To address this gap, university health education programs should focus on improving risk perception and promoting cervical cancer screening among students.
Downloads
References
Mahantshetty U, Deodhar K, Modi RD, Kerkar R. Cervical Cancer. Tata Memorial Centre Textbook of Oncology: Springer; 2024. p. 777-94.
Teklehaimanot DA, Mekuria AD, Dadi AF, Derseh BT. Precancerous lesion determinants in women attending cervical cancer screening at public health facilities in North Shoa Zone, Amhara, Ethiopia: an unmatched case-control study. BMC Women's Health. 2024;24(1):271.
Tang X, Zhang H, Wang T, Jiang W, Jones TE, He Y, et al. Single and multiple high-risk human papillomavirus infections in histopathologically confirmed cervical squamous lesions: incidences, distribution, and associated detection rates for precancerous and cancerous lesions. Laboratory Investigation. 2023;103(11):100234.
Shing JZ, Porras C, Pinheiro M, Herrero R, Hildesheim A, Liu D, et al. Differential long-term bivalent HPV vaccine cross-protection by variants in the Costa Rica HPV vaccine trial. npj Vaccines. 2024;9(1):101.
Bowden SJ, Doulgeraki T, Bouras E, Markozannes G, Athanasiou A, Grout-Smith H, et al. Risk factors for human papillomavirus infection, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer: an umbrella review and follow-up Mendelian randomisation studies. BMC Medicine. 2023;21(1):274.
Imade EE, Obayagbona NO. Impact of cigarette smoking on gut microbial dysbiosis: a structured literature review. Gut Microbiome.1-43.
Zakka A, Ayolabi C, Olusola B, Egwuatu T. Prevalence and associated risk factors of cervical human papillomavirus (hpv) infection among women in Northcentral Nigeria: A cross-sectional study. Babcock University Medical Journal. 2023;6(2):88-98.
Ezem B. Awareness and uptake of cervical cancer screening in Owerri, South-Eastern Nigeria. Annals of African medicine. 2007;6(3):94-8.
Gültekİn M, Ramirez P, Broutet N, Hutubessy R. World Health Organization call for action to eliminate cervical cancer globally. 2020.
De Sanjosé S, Diaz M, Castellsagué X, Clifford G, Bruni L, Muñoz N, et al. Worldwide prevalence and genotype distribution of cervical human papillomavirus DNA in women with normal cytology: a meta-analysis. The Lancet infectious diseases. 2007;7(7):453-9.
Li X, Zheng R, Li X, Shan H, Wu Q, Wang Y, et al. Trends of incidence rate and age at diagnosis for cervical cancer in China, from 2000 to 2014. Chinese Journal of Cancer Research. 2017;29(6):477.
Mafiana JJ, Dhital S, Halabia M, Wang X. Barriers to uptake of cervical cancer screening among women in Nigeria: a systematic review. African Health Sciences. 2022;22(2):295-309.
Mustafa WA, Alias NA, Jamlos MA, Ismail S, Alquran H. A recent systematic review of cervical cancer diagnosis: detection and classification. Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology. 2022;28(1):81-96.
Áyen Á, Jimenez Martinez Y, Boulaiz H. Targeted gene delivery therapies for cervical cancer. Cancers. 2020;12(5):1301.
Liverani CA, Di Giuseppe J, Giannella L, Delli Carpini G, Ciavattini A. Cervical cancer screening guidelines in the postvaccination era: review of the literature. Journal of Oncology. 2020;2020(1):8887672.
Pesola F, Rebolj M, Sasieni P. Managing an extension of screening intervals: Avoiding boom and bust in health care workloads. International Journal of Cancer. 2023;152(10):2061-8.
Arbyn M, Weiderpass E, Bruni L, de Sanjosé S, Saraiya M, Ferlay J, et al. Estimates of incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in 2018: a worldwide analysis. The Lancet Global Health. 2020;8(2):e191-e203.
Ude-Akpeh CE. August meeting as a veritable tool for cervical cancer education for women in South East Nigeria. NTAtvc Journal of Communication. 2022;6(2):107-15.
He W-Q, Li C. Recent global burden of cervical cancer incidence and mortality, predictors, and temporal trends. Gynecologic Oncology. 2021;163(3):583-92.
Singh D, Vignat J, Lorenzoni V, Eslahi M, Ginsburg O, Lauby-Secretan B, et al. Global estimates of incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in 2020: a baseline analysis of the WHO Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative. The Lancet Global Health. 2023;11(2):e197-e206.
Bruni L, Serrano B, Roura E, Alemany L, Cowan M, Herrero R, et al. Cervical cancer screening programmes and age-specific coverage estimates for 202 countries and territories worldwide: a review and synthetic analysis. The Lancet Global Health. 2022;10(8):e1115-e27.
Gebreegziabher M, Asefa NG, Berhe S. Factors Affecting the Practices of Cervical Cancer Screening among Female Nurses at Public Health Institutions in Mekelle Town, Northern Ethiopia, 2014: A Cross‐Sectional Study. Journal of Cancer Research. 2016;2016(1):4743075.
Udigwe G. Knowledge, attitude and practice of cervical cancer screening (pap smear) among female nurses in Nnewi South Eastern Nigeria. Nigerian journal of clinical practice. 2006;9(1):40-3.
Arachchige CN, Prendergast LA, Staudte RG. Robust analogs to the coefficient of variation. Journal of Applied Statistics. 2022;49(2):268-90.
Terefe Y, Gaym A. Knowledge, attitude and practice of screening for carcinoma of the cervix among reproductive health clients at three teaching hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Reproductive Health. 2008;2(1).
Vishwakarma S, Rawat R, Mittal N, Shree P. Knowledge, attitude and practices about cervical cancer screening among nursing staff in rural tertiary care center. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2018;7(9):3796-801.
Ifemelumma C, Anikwe C, Okorochukwu B, Onu F, Obuna J, Ejikeme B, et al. Cervical cancer screening: assessment of perception and utilization of services among health workers in low resource setting. International Journal of Reproductive Medicine. 2019;2019(1):6505482.
Owoeye I, Ibrahim I. Knowledge and attitude towards cervical cancer screening among female students and staff in a tertiary institution in the Niger Delta. International Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Research. 2013;2(1):48-56.
Ugwu E, Obi S, Ezechukwu P, Okafor I, Ugwu A. Acceptability of human papilloma virus vaccine and cervical cancer screening among female health-care workers in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice. 2013;16(2):249-52.
Oyedunni SA, Obalase SB. Perception and utilization of cervical cancer screening services among female nurses in University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Pan African Medical Journal, 2012; 11:69.
Belhadj A, Boublenza L, Sidaoui A, Chiah B, Benhamou A, Boulenouar F, et al. Women’s knowledge about cervical cancer and their PAP SMEAR test participation in Algeria. Journal of Medicine and Health Research. 2017; 2:65-71.
Obalase SB, Akindutire IO, Adelusi JO. Knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer screening among women of reproductive age in Ikere Ekiti Local Government Area, Ekiti State, Nigeria. International Journal of Caring Sciences. 2017;10(2):755.
Wong L, Wong Y, Low W, Khoo E, Shuib R. Cervical cancer screening attitudes and beliefs of Malaysian women who have never had a pap smear: a qualitative study. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. 2008; 15:289-92.
Ahmed SA, Sabitu K, Idris SH, Ahmed R. Knowledge, attitude and practice of cervical cancer screening among market women in Zaria, Nigeria. Nigerian Medical Journal. 2013;54(5):316-9.
Bansal AB, Pakhare AP, Kapoor N, Mehrotra R et al. Knowledge, attitude and practice related to cervical cancer among adult women: A hospital-based cross-sectional study. J Nat SciBiol Med, 2015; 6(2): 324-328.
Oche MO, Kaoje UM, Gana G, Ango JT. Cancer of the cervix and cervical screening: Current knowledge, attitude and practices of female health workers in Sokoto, Nigeria. International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 2013,5(3):106-109.
Toye MA, Okunade KS, Roberts AA, Salako O, Oridota ES, Onajole AT. Knowledge, perceptions and practice of cervical cancer prevention among female public secondary school teachers in Mushin local government area of Lagos State, Nigeria. Pan African Medical Journal. 2017;28(1).
Sauvageau C, Duval B, Gilca V, Lavoie F, Ouakki M. Human papilloma virus vaccine and cervical cancer screening acceptability among adults in Quebec, Canada. BMC Pub Health. 2007; 7:304-309.
Rees HD, Lombardo AR, Tangoren CG, Meyers SJ, Muppala VR, Niccolai LM. Knowledge and beliefs regarding cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination among urban and rural women in León, Nicaragua. PeerJ. 2017;5:e3871.
Tacken MA, Braspenning JC, Hermens RP, Spreeuwenberg PM, Van Den Hoogen HJ, De Bakker DH, et al. Uptake of cervical cancer screening in The Netherlands is mainly influenced by women's beliefs about the screening and by the inviting organization. The European Journal of Public Health. 2007;17(2):178-85
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Idewele Irabor, Raphael Idewele, Ben Enagbonma, Emmanuel Imade, Osasumwen Osarumen, Ernest Isemede
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The Journal is owned, published and copyrighted by the Nigerian Medical Association, River state Branch. The copyright of papers published are vested in the journal and the publisher. In line with our open access policy and the Creative Commons Attribution License policy authors are allowed to share their work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
This is an open access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author.
The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, and so forth in this publication, even if not specifically identified, does not imply that these names are not protected by the relevant laws and regulations. While the advice and information in this journal are believed to be true and accurate on the date of its going to press, neither the authors, the editors, nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein.
TNHJ also supports open access archiving of articles published in the journal after three months of publication. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g, in institutional repositories or on their website) within the stated period, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access). All requests for permission for open access archiving outside this period should be sent to the editor via email to editor@tnhjph.com.
