Cervical Cancer Awareness and Its Risk Factors Amongst Female Undergraduate Students of Rivers State University
Tamuno-Opubo Abiye,
Stanley Rosemary Oluchi,
Ezeugwu Sampson Ibekwe,
Chimenem Simple Tamuno-Opubo
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 4, December 2020
Pages:
32-38
Received:
5 April 2020
Accepted:
26 April 2020
Published:
31 December 2020
Abstract: Cervical cancer has been associated with a high mortality rate among women in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. Adequate knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer among women is essential for the control and prevention of deaths related to cervical cancer. A cross sectional study of the awareness of cervical cancer and associated risk factors was carried out in 253 students in Rivers state. The results showed that only 27 (11.5%) have good knowledge of pap smear, 3 (1.6%) indicated that they had done a pap smear and the findings were negative. Seventy-three (35.6%) respondents were sexually active, with most of the respondents (74%) that were sexually active reportedly had their first sexual experience between the 15 – 20 years. The last sexual exposure was mostly within a year (64.4%) among the respondents. Many of the respondents (88.2%) reported having one sexual partner. Only 20.9% indicated that they were in a relationship and 73.5% of those in relationship admitted to using one form of contraception. The most commonly used contraceptive was a condom (7.2%), followed by pills (6.4%) among the sexually active students. Most of the respondents (40.6%) indicated using contraceptive just once. The relationship of cervical cancer awareness and the demographic profile of the respondents were not statically associated or significant by age, faculty, level of study, marital status or education. However, level of knowledge of pap smear was statistically associated with current relationship status (p=0.007), having given birth (0.036) and smoking habits (p<0.01) among the respondents.
Abstract: Cervical cancer has been associated with a high mortality rate among women in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. Adequate knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer among women is essential for the control and prevention of deaths related to cervical cancer. A cross sectional study of the awareness of cervical cancer and associated r...
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