Educational intervention on knowledge of cervical cancer and uptake of pap smear test among market women in Niger State, Nigeria

Cervical cancer is the most common female genital tract carcinoma worldwide. It is increasingly becoming the leading carcinoma seen among women in the developing world. The aim of our study was to showcase the effect of educational intervention on the knowledge of cervical cancer and subsequently the uptake of Pap smear test amongst market women in Niger state, Nigeria. The state has a rich network of markets in all the local government areas because of the fishing activities, bountiful agricultural produce yearly and its situation to the North of the national capital, Abuja. This was a quasi-experimental study conducted in two groups with pre and post intervention data collection. Sample size was determined based on a previous similar study done in Nigeria. Multi stage sampling technique was used for recruiting the study participants. SPSS statistical software was used for data entry, editing and analysis. Respondents' knowledge of cervical cancer were comparable at pre-intervention but were statistically significantly better (P<0.0001) at post-intervention in the intervention group compared to the control group for every variable measured. However, there was only a (Fisher's exact, P=0.621) compared to the control group. This study showed an increase in knowledge about cervical cancer and Pap smear test however the uptake of Pap smear test remained low even after intervention. This underscores the need for sustained intervention programs to eventually translate knowledge acquired to habitual practice

Cost and Cost-Effectiveness of Conventional and Liquid-Based Cytology in South Africa: A Laboratory Service Provider Perspective

Background. South Africa has a high prevalence of cervical cancer. Early detection can significantly reduce the burden of this disease. New screening technologies to detect cervical pathology have become available in recent years.Objectives. To determine the cost and cost-effectiveness of liquid-based cytology (LBC) versus conventional cervical cytology; from the perspective of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS). Methods. The unit of effectiveness was defined as the number of cervical intraepithelial neoplasm (CIN) II or higher lesions detected. Costs were assessed retrospectively for the financial year (2010/11) from a laboratory service provider perspective. A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed by combining secondary data collected from NHLS expenditure records and cytology laboratory data sources with data from the literature. Results. Total average cost per conventional slide was found to be R (South African rands) 64 (95confidence interval (CI) 59 - 69) compared with R85 (95 CI 77 - 92) for an LBC slide. Conventional cytology was found to be more cost-effective (R10 786; 95 CI 9 335 - 12 699) than LBC (R18 911; 95 CI 16 180 - 22 435) in detecting CIN II or greater lesions. An improvement in the specificity of LBC and/or a decrease in the cost of consumables utilised in processing LBC specimens could potentially make it a cost-effective alternative to conventional cytology.Conclusion. An estimate of the total average public sector laboratory cost per slide for each modality was calculated. Definitive assessment of cost-effectiveness will require a prospective study that incorporates human papillomavirus testing and is conducted from a societal perspective