Knowledge and Awareness of Cervical Cancer, Screening and Vaccination among Female Undergraduates in a Public Tertiary Institution, Enugu Nigeria
Published: 2024-04-23
Page: 98-108
Issue: 2024 - Volume 7 [Issue 1]
Nwokorie, Maureen Amaoge
Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla Enugu, Nigeria.
Osaeloka C. Ekwueme
Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla Enugu, Nigeria.
Ahuchaogu, King-David Ikenna *
Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Headquaters, Abuja. Nigeria and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Agbani Enugu, Nigeria.
Alisigwe, Chinedu Stanley
Department of Community Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla Enugu, Nigeria.
Dilioha O. Jude
East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Introduction: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally, constituting a major public health problem with a mortality rate that is 18 times higher in low-income countries, including Nigeria, where there are over 8000 annual deaths attributable to cervical cancer. This study assessed the knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer, screening and vaccination among female undergraduates of the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC).
Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among 420 female undergraduates of the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus using a multistage sampling technique. A semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer, screening, and vaccination. Data was analyzed with the use of IBM SPSS, version 23.0.Descriptive analysis was done using percentages, and frequencies. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to find the association between variables. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The result revealed that majority of the respondents 90.7% had heard of cervical cancer, 43.7% were aware of the cervical cancer screening test, and 56.6% knew human papillomavirus. 70.2% of the respondents agreed that the Human Papillomavirus vaccine can protect against cervical cancer while 57.8% mentioned bloodstain discharge from the vagina as signs and symptoms of cervical cancer. Furthermore, based on socio-demographic characteristics and level of knowledge of cervical cancer among study respondents, a statistically significant relationship exists between faculty (P=.020) and level of knowledge of cervical cancer.
Conclusion: The study revealed good knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer, and human papillomavirus (HPV) but poor awareness of pap smear test among the study participants. Sustained and targeted comprehensive educational campaigns on cervical cancer, screening and vaccination were recommended.
Keywords: Cervical cancer, human papillomavirus, knowledge, awareness, female undergraduates
How to Cite
Downloads
References
World Health Organization. Cervical Cancer; 2022. Availavle:https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cervical-cancer.
American Cancer Society. What is cancer?; 2021. Availavle:https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-basics/what-is-cancer.html
World Health Organization. Human papillomavirus; 2022. Availavle:https://www.who.int/teams/health-product-policy-and-standards/standards-and-specifications/vaccine-standardization/human-papillomavirus
Rahangdale L, Mungo C, O’Connor S, Chibwesha C J, Brewer N T. Human papillomavirus vaccination and cervical cancer risk BMJ. 2022;379:e070115. DOI:10.1136/bmj-2022-070115
Shanta V, Krishnamurthi S, Gajalakshmi CK, Swaminathan R, Ravichandran K. Epidemiology of cancer of the cervix: Global and national perspective. J Indian Med Assoc. 2000;98(2):49-52.
National Cancer Institute. Types of Cervical Cancer; (2023). Availavle:https://www.cancer.gov/types/cervical
American Cancer Society. What is cancer?; 2021. Availavle:https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-basics/what-is-cancer.html
Cancer Research UK. Cervical Cancer Types and Grades; 2020. Availavle:https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cervical-cancer/stages-types-grades/types-and-grades
Omeke CA, Enebe JT, Ugwu AI, Onyishi NT, Omeke MC, Enebe NO, Izuka EO, Aniwada EC. The magnitude and predictors of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions among women in Enugu, Nigeria: A cross-sectional study of women in a low-resource setting. The Pan African medical journal. 2022; 41:130. DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2022.41.130.28173
Ajebo UC, Akubue AU. Prevalence of cervical cancer in enugu state: A critical review of 5-year hospital data in Enugu State, Southeast Nigeria. Texila International Journal of Public Health; 2022. DOI: 10.21522/TIJPH.2013.10.04. Art013
Champion VL, Skinner CS. The health belief model. Health behav Health Educ Theory Res Prac. 2008;4:45–65.
Dozie UW, Ebirim CIC, DIKE CR, Dozie INS, Ibe SNO, Abanobi OC. Determinants of cervical cancer screening uptake among female undergraduates in a tertiary institution in south eastern Nigeria: A cross sectional study. Journal of preventive medicine and hygiene. 2021;29:62(1) E213-E221. DOI:10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2021.62.1.1828
Bakare Omowunmi, Akinyinka Modupe, Ahmed Alebiosu. Cervical cancer screening and Vaccination Uptake among Non-Teaching Staff of LASUCOM. 2023;6:17-23.
Nthiga AM. Determinants of cervical cancer screening uptake among women in Embu County, Kenya. A Masters Dissertation in the Department of Public Health in the University of Nairobi; 2014.
Alsalmi SF, Othman SS. Cervical cancer screening uptake and predictors among women in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Cureus. 2022;14(4):e24065. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.24065 PMID: 35573538 PMCID: pmc9098102
Kasymova S, Harrison SE, Pascal C. Knowledge and awareness of human papillomavirus among college students in South Carolina. Infect Dis (Auckl). 2019;(12):1178633718825077. DOI: 10.1177/1178633718825077 PMID: 30728723 PMCID: PMC6351721
Oluwole OE, Idowu OM, Adejimi AA, Balogun MR, Osanyin GE. Knowledge, attitude and uptake of human papillomavirus vaccination among female undergraduates in Lagos State, Nigeria. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. 2019;8(11):3627-3633. DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_520_19
Jeddo ZA. Knowledge, perception, and sources of information towards cervical cancer and utilization of papanicolaou (pap) smear as screening among female in medina, Saudi Arabia. Obstet Gynecol Int J. 2022;13(6):378-383. DOI: 10.15406/ogij.2022.13.00680
Khan M, Zafar A, Muneer R, Siddiqui AA. Awareness regarding pap smear among female university students of Karachi: A cross-sectional survey. Cureus. 2018;10(6):e2784. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.2784
IARC/ICO Information Centre on HPV and Cancer Human Papillomavirus and Related Cancers, Fact Sheet; 2017.
Hyacinth HI, Adekeye OA, Ibeh JN, Osoba T. Cervical cancer and Pap smear awareness and utilization of pap smear test among Federal civil servants in North Central Nigeria. PLoS One. 2012;7(10): e46583. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046583
Gimba SM, Emmanue AA, Baidi B, Mangai MJ. Bukuta G. Awareness and Practice of cervical cancer screening among university of jos female undergraduates. Continental Journal of Nursing Science 2014;6(1). Availavle:https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.824616
Onowhakpor AO, Omuemu VO, Osagie OL, Odili CG. Human papilloma virus vaccination: Knowledge, attitude and uptake among female medical and dental students in a tertiary institution in Benin‑City, Nigeria. J Community Med Primary Health Care 2016;(18):101‑8.
Maitanmi JO, Fabiyi TE, Eniola O, Sansi TO, Blessing JO, Maitanmi B, Ojewale MO, Dairo AA, Adebiyi DA, Akingbade O. Knowledge and acceptability of cervical cancer screening among female undergraduates in Babcock University Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria. Ecancermedicalscience. 2023;17:1502. DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2023.1502.
Owoeye IOG, Ibrahim IA. Knowledge and attitude towards cervical cancer screening among female students and staff in a tertiary institution in the Niger Delta. Int J Med Biomed Res. 2013;2(1):48- 56.