Knowledge and Awareness of Cervical Cancer and Screening Practices among Nurses at Lahore General Hospital, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Objective:To determine the knowledge and awareness regarding screening practices of cervical cancer among nurses at Lahore general Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional, interview based study was conducted on 250 nurses at Lahore general Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. The duration of this study was one year from 2017 to 2018. All the cases underwent interview based information regarding cervical cancer.The questionnaire was applied to assess the knowledge, awareness and screening practices about cervical cancer among nurses. Data was collected via self-made proforma.Results:Most of the study participants were less than 35 years. 72% nurses were married and 28% were unmarried. Most of the study participants 96% knew that cervical cancer is the abnormal growth of cervical cells and few were unaware regarding it. According to causes of cervical cancer 70% to 75.6% participants agreed that early marriage and multiple sex partners are the causative factors of cervical cancer, while others relate it to smoking, infection and hereditary causes. Most of the nurses 42.8% answered that cervical cancer can occur at menopausal age while 25.5% opted for any age. 75.6% to 95.5% nurses were in the favor of scanning, pap smear test and cervical biopsy methods. 34% of the participants said that it is a preventable disease via vaccination, early diagnosis and safe sex activities.Conclusion:It was concluded that nurses had satisfactory knowledge regarding screening practice of cervical cancer at Lahore general Hospital