Knowledge and Attitude of Female Students of Tertiary Institutions in Imo State, Nigeria Towards Cervical Cancer and Its Screening

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women. It is preventable if detected early. Effective screening can detect the earliest stage of premalignant form. This study was carried out to ascertain the knowledge and attitude of female students in four tertiary institutions in Imo State towards cervical cancer and its screening. Interviewee administered close-ended structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Questionnaires were validated by content and construct validity. A total of 400 female students in tertiary institutions within reproductive age; 16–45 years were recruited as respondents. Of the respondents, 398 (99.5%) completed and returned their questionnaires. These were analyzed using simple statistical methods. Results revealed that 350 (87.9%) have heard of cervical cancer while 265 (66.6%) have heard of cervical screening. Sexually active respondents were 186 (47%) meanwhile only 17 (4.3%) had undergone the screening. Most (93.5%), agreed that having multiple sexual partners was a risk factor. Most respondents (96.2%), knew that Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the causative agent. The most prevalent (94%) reasons for not undertaking the screening was embarrassment followed by stigmatization 320 (80.4%). This study revealed high knowledge of cervical cancer among the students but poor attitude towards its screening. This calls for continued enlightenment for women of reproductive age including students in tertiary institutions on routine screening for cervical cancer especially as soon as they become sexually active. This will expectedly, increase the rate of early detection and subsequent treatment thereby preventing the high cost of treating and managing full-blown cervical cancer.