Abstract
Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in women in developing countries. A key factor linked to the relatively high levels of cervical cancer in these populations is the lack of awareness and access to preventive methods. This study aimed to determine the level of awareness of cervical cancer and Papanicolaou test (Pap smear test) and factors associated with the utilization of Pap test among female civil servants in Jos. Data was obtained from female workers (n = 388) aged 18–65 years in a Nigerian Federal establishment. Participants were randomly approached and instructed to complete validated questionnaires. Data was analyzed using Chi-square, t-tests and logistic regression analysis to determine if there was an association between variables and identify any predictors of awareness and utilization of the Pap test. Cervical cancer and Pap smear test awareness was 50.9% and 38.6% respectively, with the media as the major source of information. Pap smear test utilization rate was 10.2%, with routine antenatal care (ANC) as the major reason for getting screened. Personal barriers to screening include the lack of awareness, and belief that cervical cancer is not preventable. Opportunistic screening, mass media campaigns and ANC education were suggested as ways of improving awareness and utilization of cervical cancer screening services.
Highlights
Cervical cancer is a female genital cancer that results from infection with the human papilloma virus, commonly serotypes 16 and 18 [1,2]
Cervical cancer and Pap smear test awareness Approximately 50.9% of respondents reported having heard about cervical cancer
Over 38% reported having heard about the Pap smear test and 27.0% said that regular screening with Pap smear test can prevent cervical cancer (Table 2)
Summary
Cervical cancer is a female genital cancer that results from infection with the human papilloma virus, commonly serotypes 16 and 18 [1,2]. This infection results in transformation of the cervical epithelial cells, first to precancerous lesions and to frank cancer [3,4,5]. Over 75% of the annual cases of cervical cancer and cervical cancer related morbidity and mortality occur in developing countries [7] usually with less comprehensive cervical cancer prevention programs. In Nigeria, the most recent government estimates put the number of new cases at 25,000 per year [8], while there are no official figures for North Central Nigeria where this study was carried out
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