Awareness and practices regarding cervical cancer among women of self-help groups in rural Puducherry

Abstract

Context: India has the highest number of cervical cancer cases in the world and also the second most leading cause of cancer among females. Early diagnosis along with appropriate treatment at an earlier stage is needed to combat the high burden of cervical cancer in our setting. Aim: The aim of the study is to study the awareness and practices about cervical cancer among women of self-help groups (SHGs) in rural Puducherry. Subjects and Methods: Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among women in SHGs in the four villages under field practice area of Rural Health Training Center, Department of Community Medicine of our teaching hospital. Details on sociodemographic characteristics, awareness regarding cervical cancer, and source of information regarding cervical cancer were collected using a pretested questionnaire. Chi-square test was used to assess the significance of study findings. P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Majority (57.6%) of the SHG women were homemakers and about one-third (31.2%) of them were involved in farming and daily wage labor activities. Around 37.6% have awareness on cervical cancer and almost all (99.2%) of SHG women have never undergone PAP smear examination nor heard about PAP smear/HPV vaccine. The study revealed that women's education and socioeconomic status were associated with the knowledge of the cervical cancer and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: The present study found that awareness about cervical cancer among the respondents was very less. It is found to be associated with maternal education, occupation, and socioeconomic status of the women.