ORIGINAL: Effect of Health Education on the Knowledge of Cervical Cancer and Uptake of Papanicolaou Smear Test among Teachers in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Nigeria: An Interventional Study

West Afr J Med . 2022 Oct 20;39(10):1045-1056.

Abstract

Background: Evidence exists that the uptake of cervical cancer screening is low in Nigeria despite the availability of effective tools. This study determined the effect of health education on the knowledge of cervical cancer and uptake of Papanicolaou (Pap) smear test among teachers in public secondary schools in Uyo, Nigeria.

Methods: This was an interventional study among public secondary school teachers in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It entailed a baseline survey, administration of health education sessions on cervical cancer and its screening tests to the intervention group and a post-intervention evaluation. Data was captured using a semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed with Stata software Version 10.

Results: There were 185 respondents each in the interventional and control groups. The mean ages of the teachers were 38.7 ± 8.1 years and 37.1 ± 7.7 years respectively. Post-intervention, knowledge of cervical cancer symptoms increased from 10.1% to 66.5% in the intervention group compared to an increase from 7.0% to 12.0% in the control group (p< 0.001). Similarly, risk factor knowledge improved from 6.1% to 59.5% in the intervention group compared to 4.9% to 7.2% in the control group (p< 0.001). Also, the uptake of the Pap smear test increased from 11.9% to 22.2% in the intervention group (p = 0.01) compared to an increase from 4.9% to 7.0% in the control group (p=0.379).

Conclusion: Health education brought about a significant increase in the knowledge of cervical cancer symptoms/risk factors and uptake of Pap smear test and should therefore, be encouraged among teachers in secondary schools.

Keywords: Cervical cancer; Risk factors; Symptoms; Teacher; Uptake of Pap smear test.

A E Ijezie ¹, O E Johnson ¹, E Ijezie ², Q M Umoren ¹