Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Cervical Cancer Screening among Female Teachers in an urban community in Lagos, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: In Nigeria, inadequate regular screening services for cervical cancer, as well as poor uptake of available cervical cancer screening modalities, continue to challenge cervical cancer prevention. This study seeks to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of cervical cancer screening among female secondary school teachers whose effective role in the communication and motivation of young students have been largely documented in the literature.

Methodology: This was a  descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among 273 female teachers in the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos State selected by the multi-stage sampling method. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using Epi info 7.2 statistical software. The Chi-square test was used to determine statistical associations. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: The mean age of the respondents was 39.7 ± 8.6. Respondents were mostly married, 219(80.2%) in a monogamous family setting, and 175(64.1%).  The majority, 224(80.2%), had an overall poor knowledge of cervical cancer, and only 73(26.7%) could correctly link HPV as a cause of cervical cancer. Multiple sexual partners 52(19.1%) and early sexual onset 45(16.5%) were the commonest risk factors known by respondents. Although the majority had a positive attitude of 249(91.2%) towards cervical cancer screening, the overall practice was majorly poor (246(90.1%).

Conclusion: Our result demonstrates an overwhelming majority of female teachers had poor knowledge and poor cervical cancer screening practices. This highlights the need for effectively disseminating information on cervical cancer and screening to teachers to foster the effective transmission of accurate information about cervical cancer to young students.