Knowledge and Attitude Related to Cervical Cancer Prevention and Screening among Female Students in the College of Nursing, Kuwait

Abstract

Objectives: To assess knowledge and attitude related to cervical cancer prevention, and screening among female students in the college of nursing in Kuwait. Subjects and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey in which 250 female students were recruited to answer the questionnaire. Results: Mean age of the students was 20.91 ±4.28 years. Ninety percent (n = 227) of them have heard of cervical cancer, but only 25.72 % (n = 65) recognized infection with the human papilloma virus as a risk factor. Only 23.33% (n=58) of the students studied are aware of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination. Seventy-nine percent (n=198) of the students studied were aware of the Papanicolaou cervix smear (Pap smear), and 42% of them gave a positive response when asked about the test's necessity. When students with a history of marriage were compared to those without a history of marriage, they demonstrated a statistically significant increase in their intention to undergo cytological examination (61.5 % vs 38.5 %, p=0.036). Comparing students in years 3 and 4 of a bachelor's program to those in years 1 and 2 revealed that student in years 3 and 4 were more knowledgeable about the relationship between HPV infection and cancer cervix (23.7% Vs 16 %, p=0.003). Conclusion: Nursing students have a limited understanding of cervical cancer, HPV vaccination, and Pap smear screening as an early detection practice. Cervical cancer prevention and screening issues must be immediately integrated into nurses' existing teaching and training curricula.