ABSTRACT
Background: Cervical cancer is a disease of major public health significance which can be prevented by adequate screening. Objective: This study assessed the level of cervical cancer knowledge, attitude to screening and human papillomavirus testing experience in women who self-sampled for cervical cancer screening. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 790 women that had human papilloma virus (HPV) testing at the gynae-oncology unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. Participants were assessed of their cervical cancer screening knowledge, attitude and HPV testing experience. High risk HPV (hr-HPV) nucleic acid testing was funded by the Clinton Health Access Initiative. Results: Majority (76.71%) of the respondents exhibited a high level of knowledge of cervical cancer, its causes, risk factors and prevention; and a positive experience with HPV self-sampling reported in 98.1%. hr-HPV positive rate was 13.4%. The most common reason (43%) for not having a cervical screening done was lack of a doctor's request. The most commonly known method of cervical screening by the respondents was Pap Smear test (55.31%). Conclusion: There is need for more education to improve the level of awareness and uptake of hr-HPV testing for cervical cancer in Lagos. Health care providers are not offering cervical cancer screening enough and this needs to be explored more in future studies.
Subject(s)
Early Detection of Cancer , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Papanicolaou Test , Papillomaviridae , Papillomavirus Infections , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms , Vaginal Smears , Humans , Female , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/prevention & control , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/virology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Papillomavirus Infections/diagnosis , Adult , Early Detection of Cancer/psychology , Middle Aged , Nigeria , Papanicolaou Test/statistics & numerical data , Papillomaviridae/isolation & purification , Vaginal Smears/psychology , Vaginal Smears/statistics & numerical data , Mass Screening/methods , Young Adult , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology , Aged , Surveys and Questionnaires , Socioeconomic Factors , Human Papillomavirus VirusesABSTRACT
The number of cancer patients in Nigeria continues to rise; however, global advances in cancer research are making the provision of optimal care possible. Cancer management is globally agreed to be multidisciplinary, with patients now having the right to benefit from progress in systemic cancer therapy and radio-diagnosis by receiving treatment from adequately trained and highly skilled clinical and radiation oncologists. Radiation oncology is part of the three divisions that make up oncology - medical oncology, surgical oncology and radiation oncology. This discipline in recent times has been developed into Clinical Oncology and although both clinical oncologists and medical oncologists continue to deliver non-surgical cancer treatment, only clinical oncologists are qualified to deliver radiotherapy in the management of cancers. Though clinical oncologists continue to provide quality cancer workforce for the country's increasing number of cancer patients, much is still unknown about this discipline in Nigeria. It is hoped that inspiring radio-oncologists will take note of the information provided by this article as a guide. This paper chronicles the multifarious process involved in training to become a clinical and radiation-oncologist in Nigeria, plus the requirements, as well as pertinent information a budding physician seeking to advance in this highly specialised field requires.
