Knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer among female medical students at Kampala International University
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Date
2019-04
Authors
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kampala International University, School of Health Sciences
Abstract
Cervical cancer is globally the second most common cancer in women, second to breast cancer and is known to be the executive cause of morbidity and mortality in women mostly those of the Sub-Saharan African countries most of whom come from developing countries. Cervical cancer accounts for at least 63% of the genital cancers therefore it is a serious burden to women in the developing countries. There’s literally little evidence on the extent of knowledge on cervical cancer among female medical students at KIU-WC. In this cross-sectional study, with the objective to assess the level of knowledge and awareness on cervical cancer among female medical students of Kampala International University, a study population of 100 female medical students was sampled. The knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer among female medical students at KIU was generally high (97%), with predominant knowledge that the disease is associated with viruses (96%), knowledge on availability of screening programs (96%), on its preventability (97%), on its treatment (86%). Knowledge on risk factors was summarily insufficient since almost three quarters of the respondents neither agreed nor were sure that high parity (71%) is associated with cervical cancer, and more than a third of them not knowing that long term use of contraceptives (44%), STI (45%), smoking (38%), uncircumcised sexual partners (30%) were associated risk factors of cervical cancer and a few both not agreeing and not sure that HPV (4%), having a weak immunity (20%), early sexual intercourse (16%), unprotected sex (14%), not screening for cervical cancer (22%) and sexual partner having many sexual partners (16%) are risks for cervical cancer development. It was also found out that majority didn’t both accept and know that having persistent diarrhea (87%) and hematochezia and hematuria (64%) are symptomatic features in metastatic cervical cancer and in the same train, some respondents neither accepted nor knew, respectively that metrorrhagia (15%, 9%), foul smelling vaginal discharge (22%, 9%), lower back pain (29%, 16%), dyspareunia (9%, 6%), menorrhagia (27%, 16%), post-menopausal bleeding (10%, 7%), coital and post-coital bleeding (14%, 12%), persistent pelvic pain (14%, 10%) and weight loss (18%, 12%) are marked in cervical cancer as presenting signs or symptoms. The study therefore demonstrated that there’s deficiency in knowledge on cervical cancer among female medical students at KIU-WC and strategic measures to be taken to sensitize and increase the awareness and knowledge of cervical cancer among the female medical students through seminars, CMEs and training programs
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Clinical Medicine and Dentistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery of Kampala International University
Keywords
Cervical cancer, Female medical students, Kampala International University