KNOWLEDGE AND SCREENING PRACTICES OF CERVICAL CANCER AMONG FEMALE HEALTH WORKERS AT GREATER ACCRA REGIONAL HOSPITAL, ACCRA

ABSTRACT

Background

Cervical cancer is a Public Health threat. The disease imposes economic burden on resources in the form of medical and non-medical expenditure and loss of productivity. Cervical cancer cases are expected to increase in 2030 by 1.5-fold in view of the rising world population. A woman who develops cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa has at least 79 percent chance of dying from this malignancy. Cervical cancer risk can be reduced by 80 percent through regular screening. Generally, screening practices among health workers are very low in sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge and screening practices of cervical cancer among female health workers at GARH, Accra.

Methods: The study design was a cross sectional study. A systematic stratified proportional random sampling technique was used to select 166 female health workers from six professional groups in the GARH. Both structured self-administered and interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data was analyzed using STATA version 14 software. Descriptive data analysis technique (frequency, mean and standard deviation), bivariate and logistic regression was used to find out cervical cancer screening practices and its associated factors among female health workers.

Results: Most of the respondents were aged between 25-29 years, and the mean age of 29.7 years (SD=±5.3). The respondents had adequate knowledge on the risk factors, presentation and prevention of cervical cancer. More importantly, majority of the respondents correctly indicated that HPV is strongly associated with more than 95 percent cervical cancer cases (81.3%). Only 18.7 percent of them had screened for cervical cancer. Being informed about cervical cancer screening by healthcare providers was very significantly associated with cervical cancer screening among the respondents than other associated factors.

Conclusion: High level of knowledge on cervical cancer was found among respondents. Unfortunately, this was not supported by high cervical cancer screening practice. However, significant association with screening practices was found with following factors: duration of work, duration at the facility, pelvic exams embarrassment, being informed by someone who has been screened, understanding the screening procedure done in the facility, having experienced pain on previous vagina or speculum exams and being on any form of health insurance.