| Literature DB >> 30021564 |
Murithi Gatumo1, Susan Gacheri2, Abdul-Rauf Sayed3, Andrew Scheibe3.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women in Kenya. However, only 3% of women are routinely screened. This study aimed to assess women's knowledge and attitudes towards cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening in Kenya's Isiolo and Tharaka Nithi counties.Entities:
Keywords: Cervical cancer; Cross-sectional study; HPV; Kenya; Knowledge and attitudes
Mesh:
Year: 2018 PMID: 30021564 PMCID: PMC6052645 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4642-9
Source DB: PubMed Journal: BMC Cancer ISSN: 1471-2407 Impact factor: 4.430
County of origin and demographic characteristics of study participants, by county (n = 451)
| County of origin | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Isiolo | Tharaka Nithi | Total | |
| Variable | N (%) | N (%) | N (%) |
| Age (years) | |||
| < 20 | 10 (7.5) | 14 (4.4) | 24 (5.3) |
| 20–29 | 55 (41.4) | 99 (31.1) | 154 (34.2) |
| 30–39 | 38 (28.6) | 83 (26.1) | 121 (26.8) |
| 40–49 | 13 (9.8) | 58 (18.2) | 71 (15.7) |
| 50–59 | 8 (6.0) | 37 (11.6) | 45 (10) |
| ≥60 | 9 (6.8) | 27 (8.5) | 36 (8) |
| Education level | |||
| Non-literate | 47 (35.3) | 17 (5.4) | 64 (14.2) |
| Read and write | 14 (10.5) | 9 (2.8) | 23 (5.1) |
| Primary | 38 (28.6) | 120 (37.7) | 158 (35) |
| High school | 30 (22.6) | 121 (38.1) | 151 (33.5) |
| Diploma and above | 4 (3.0) | 51 (16.0) | 55 (12.2) |
| Marital status | |||
| Married | 99 (74.4) | 219 (68.9) | 318 (70.5) |
| Single | 18 (13.5) | 77 (24.2) | 95 (21.1) |
| Divorced | 7 (5.3) | 12 (3.8) | 19 (4.2) |
| Widowed | 9 (6.8) | 10 (3.1) | 19 (4.2) |
| Employment status | |||
| Housewife | 72 (54.1) | 43 (13.5) | 115 (25.5) |
| Employed/self-employed | 30 (22.6) | 199 (62.6) | 229 (50.8) |
| Unemployed | 29 (21.8) | 59 (18.6) | 88 (19.5) |
| Student | 2 (1.5) | 17 (5.4) | 19 (4.2) |
n number of respondents
% percentage
Knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors among participants who were aware of cervical cancer (n = 360)
| Frequency of correct responses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Questions to assess knowledge of risk factors for cervical cancera | n | % |
| Is cervical cancer preventable? | 223 | 61.9 |
| Is having many different sexual partners a risk factor for cervical cancer? | 220 | 61.1 |
| Is oral contraception a risk factor for cervical cancer? | 211 | 58.6 |
| Is smoking a risk factor for cervical cancer? | 198 | 55.0 |
| Is HIV a risk factor for cervical cancer? | 141 | 39.2 |
| Are you more likely to get cervical cancer if your family has it? | 88 | 24.4 |
| Is giving birth to many babies a risk factor for cervical cancer? | 63 | 17.5 |
| Is human papilloma virus (HPV) a risk factor for cervical cancer? | 61 | 16.9 |
n number of respondents
% percentage
a The correct response for these questions was “Yes”
Associations between demographic characteristics and knowledge of risk factors for cervical cancer among participants who were aware of cervical cancer (n = 360)
| Demographic variables | Knowledgeable of risk factors for cervical cancer | OR | aOR | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No (%) | Yes (%) | (95% CI) | (95% CI) | ||
| Age (years) | |||||
| 18–29 | 85 (42.5%) | 59 (36.9%) | |||
| ≥30 | 115 (57.5%) | 101 (63.1%) | 1.3 (0.8–2.0) | 0.279 | 1.2 (0.7–1.9) |
| Education level | |||||
| ≤ Primary education | 108 (54.0%) | 66 (41.2%) | |||
| ≥ Secondary education | 92 (46.0%) | 94 (58.8%) | 1.7 (1.1–2.6) | 0.016 | 1.3 (0.8–2.1) |
| Marital status | |||||
| Unmarried | 58 (29.9%) | 53 (33.1%) | |||
| Married | 142 (71.0%) | 107 (66.9%) | 0.8 (0.5–1.3) | 0.339 | 0.8 (0.5–1.3) |
| Employment status | |||||
| Unemployed/student | 110 (55.0%) | 55 (34.4%) | |||
| Employed | 90 (45.0%) | 105 (65.3%) | 2.3 (1.5–3.7) | < 0.001 | 1.6 (1.0–2.6)a |
| County of origin | |||||
| Isiolo | 75 (37.5%) | 22 (13.8%) | |||
| Tharaka Nithi | 125 (62.5%) | 138 (86.2%) | 3.8 (2.2–6.7) | < 0.001 | 2.8 (1.6–5.0)a |
OR odds ratio
aOR adjusted odds ratio
n number of respondents
% percentage
aStatistically significant
Attitude assessment of cervical cancer among participants who had heard of cervical cancer (n = 360)
| Questions to assess attitudes related to cervical cancer | Yes | Not sure | No | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | n | % | n | % | |
| My chances of getting cervical cancer in the next few years are high. | 85 | 23.6 | 66 | 18.3 | 209 | 58.1 |
| I feel I will get cervical cancer some time during my life. | 54 | 15 | 61 | 16.9 | 245 | 68.1 |
| The thought of cervical cancer scares me. | 321 | 89.2 | 8 | 2.2 | 31 | 8.6 |
| Problems I would experience with cervical cancer would last a long time. | 274 | 76.1 | 23 | 6.4 | 63 | 17.5 |
| Cervical cancer would threaten a relationship with my boyfriend, husband or partner. | 204 | 56.7 | 37 | 10.3 | 119 | 33.1 |
| If I developed cervical cancer, I would not live longer than 5 years. | 172 | 47.8 | 41 | 11.4 | 147 | 40.8 |
| Having cervical exams takes too much time. | 43 | 11.9 | 119 | 33.1 | 198 | 55 |
| Having cervical exams is too painful. | 71 | 19.7 | 142 | 39.4 | 147 | 40.8 |
| Health care workers doing cervical exams are rude to women. | 34 | 9.4 | 105 | 29.2 | 221 | 61.4 |
| I have other problems more important than having cervical exams in my life. | 66 | 18.3 | 12 | 3.3 | 282 | 78.3 |
| I am too old to have cervical exams regularly. | 29 | 8.1 | 8 | 2.2 | 323 | 89.7 |
| There is no health centre close to my house to have cervical exams. | 100 | 27.8 | 21 | 5.8 | 239 | 66.4 |
| If there is cancer development in my destiny, having cervical exams will not prevent it. | 140 | 38.9 | 27 | 7.5 | 193 | 53.6 |
| I prefer a female health worker to conduct cervical exams. | 201 | 55.8 | 20 | 5.6 | 139 | 38.6 |
| I will never have cervical exams if I have to pay for it. | 145 | 40.3 | 11 | 3.1 | 204 | 56.7 |
| I would be ashamed to lie on a gynaecologic examination table and show my private parts during a cervical exam. | 61 | 16.9 | 4 | 1.1 | 295 | 81.9 |
n number of respondents
% percentage