Divergence between awareness and uptake of cervical cancer screening among Healthcare workers: a single centre experience in Northeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The high incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in Nigeria can be effectively tackled by dedicated screening of the at-risk population. Hospital workers are looked up to and are expected to be vanguards of such efforts. However, healthcare workers’ attitudes towards screening uptake, alongside the presence of risk factors among them, have not been sufficiently studied, especially in northeastern Nigeria. Hence, the need for the present study.

Method: Female staff of the Federal Medical Centre Azare, Bauchi state, were approached to participate in this cross-sectional survey using a self-administered pretested questionnaire containing 49 data items categorized under subthemes (sociodemographic, awareness about cervical cancer, reproductive and social characteristics). Accrued data was analyzed using SPSS 20 to determine proportions and associations between variables and screening uptake.

Results: Respondents from different sections of the hospital were 160 with a median age of 30 years (18-58 years), the majority (85.6%) attaining at least secondary education, and 58.8% were married. Cervical cancer risk factors among the respondents were early age at sexual debut and marriage (25%), multiparity (36.2%), multiple sexual partners (16.3%), unprotected sex (75.6%), use of birth control pills (35.7%), history of sexually transmitted infections (10.6%), and family history of cervical cancer (6.2%). Awareness about cervical cancer was high (112 respondents; 70%) but screening uptake was low (7 respondents; 4.3%). Screening uptake was significantly associated with being aware of cervical screening (p = 0.018), ³ 3 pregnancies (p = 0.030) and Income level >50,000 naira (p = 0.042). Reasons for not undergoing screening include lack of awareness of service points (42 respondents; 20%), lack of interest or poor risk perception (71 respondents; 40%).  Willingness to screen if made available was also poor (34.4%).

Conclusion: Attitude towards cervical screening among the respondents was poor and divergent from the high awareness and presence of risk factors, requiring concerted efforts to address.