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NEW THIS TUESDAY: NINE ON CERVICAL CANCER IN AFRICA

Friday, 6th of September 2013

• NINE ITEMS ON CERVICAL CANCER IN AFRICA

• AWARENESS OF CERVICAL CANCER, PAP SMEAR AND ITS UTILIZATION AMONG FEMALE, FINAL YEAR UNDERGRADUATES IN DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

J Cancer Res Ther. 2013 Jan-Mar;9(1):25-8.

Hoque ME.

Source Graduate School of Business and Leadership, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, South Africa.

Abstract below; full text is at http://www.cancerjournal.net/article.asp?issn=0973-1482;year=2013;volume=9;issue=1;spage=25;epage=28;aulast=Hoque

CONTEXT:

Cervical cancer is a preventable disease; it is the primary cancer amongst women in South Africa.

AIMS:

The objective of this study is to assess the awareness and detection methods of cervical cancer.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN:

This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 180 full time final year undergraduate female university students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

A multistage sampling technique was used to select the sample and self administered questionnaire was used to collect the information. Statistical Analysis Used: Chi-square test and logistic regression were used to find association and the significant predictor for doing Pap smear test.

RESULTS:

Over half (53.3%) of the participants had heard about cervical cancer and its detection method. More than half (60%) and over a third (37.8%) of the participants knew about human papilloma virus (HPV) and multiple sexual partner respectively as risk factors for cervical cancer. More than half (55.3%) indicated that they were not aware if cervical cancer can be prevented. Majority (76.7%) knew that Papanicolaus (Pap) smear test is used for detection or prevention of cervical cancer. Among those who were sexually active and knew about Pap smear test 79.3% did not do the test mainly because of personal factors such as fear of the procedure, or were not ill.

CONCLUSIONS:

Level of awareness regarding cervical cancer and its detection method was low among these female students. The university management should focus on developing policies on health education and promotion to prevent transmission of the HPV.

 

• DETERMINANTS OF ACCEPTANCE OF CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING IN DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA

 

BMC Public Health. 2012 Dec 19;12:1093. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-1093.

Kahesa C, Kjaer S, Mwaiselage J, Ngoma T, Tersbol B, Dartell M, Rasch V.

Source Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen K, Denmark.

Abstract below; full text is at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/1093

OBJECTIVE:

To describe how demographic characteristics and knowledge of cervical cancer influence screening acceptance among women living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

METHODS:

Multistage cluster sampling was carried out in 45 randomly selected streets in Dar es Salaam. Women between the ages of 25-59 who lived in the sampled streets were invited to a cervical cancer screening; 804 women accepted and 313 rejected the invitation. Information on demographic characteristics and knowledge of cervical cancer were obtained through structured questionnaire interviews.

RESULTS:

Women aged 35-44 and women aged 45-59 had increased ORs of 3.52 and 7.09, respectively, for accepting screening. Increased accepting rates were also found among single women (OR 2.43) and among women who had attended primary or secondary school (ORs of 1.81 and 1.94). Women who had 0-2 children were also more prone to accept screening in comparison with women who had five or more children (OR 3.21). Finally, knowledge of cervical cancer and awareness of the existing screening program were also associated with increased acceptance rates (ORs of 5.90 and 4.20).

CONCLUSION:

There are identifiable subgroups where cervical cancer screening can be increased in Dar es Salaam. Special attention should be paid to women of low education and women of high parity. In addition, knowledge and awareness raising campaigns that goes hand in hand with culturally acceptable screening services will likely lead to an increased uptake of cervical cancer screening.

 

• A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY TO ASSESS HPV KNOWLEDGE AND HPV VACCINE ACCEPTABILITY IN MALI

PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e56402. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056402. Epub 2013 Feb 19.

Poole DN, Tracy JK, Levitz L, Rochas M, Sangare K, Yekta S, Tounkara K, Aboubacar B, Koita O, Lurie M, De Groot AS.

Source Public Health Program, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America. danielle.n.poole@gmail.com

Abstract below; full text is at http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0056402

Despite a high prevalence of oncogenic human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer mortality, HPV vaccination is not currently available in Mali. Knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer in Mali, and thereby vaccine readiness, may be limited. Research staff visited homes in a radial pattern from a central location to recruit adolescent females and males aged 12-17 years and men and women aged ≥ 18 years (N = 51) in a peri-urban village of Bamako, Mali. Participants took part in structured interviews assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to HPV, cervical cancer, and HPV vaccination. We found low levels of HPV and cervical cancer knowledge. While only 2.0% of respondents knew that HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), 100% said they would be willing to receive HPV vaccination and would like the HPV vaccine to be available in Mali. Moreover, 74.5% said they would vaccinate their child(ren) against HPV. Men were found to have significantly greater autonomy in the decision to vaccinate themselves than women and adolescents (p = 0.005), a potential barrier to be addressed by immunization campaigns. HPV vaccination would be highly acceptable if the vaccine became widely available in Bamako, Mali. This study demonstrates the need for a significant investment in health education if truly informed consent is to be obtained for HPV vaccination. Potential HPV vaccination campaigns should provide more information about HPV and the vaccine. Barriers to vaccination, including the significantly lower ability of the majority of the target population to autonomously decide to get vaccinated, must also be addressed in future HPV vaccine campaigns.

TOPIC	HITS
CSU 27/2011: CERVICAL HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS PREVALENCE IN 5 CONTINENTS, http://www.childsurvival.net/?content=com_articles&artid=337	616
HPV AND CERVICAL CANCER IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, http://www.childsurvival.net/?content=com_articles&artid=646	549
ASSESSMENT OF EIGHT HPV VACCINATION PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED IN LOWEST INCOME COUNTRIES, http://www.childsurvival.net/?content=com_articles&artid=1265	350
NEW THIS SUNDAY: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOUTH AFRICAN WOMENS KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS ABOUT HPV AND CERVICAL CANCER PREVENTION, http://www.childsurvival.net/?content=com_articles&artid=2174	51
NEW THIS SUNDAY: HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOR FOR CERVICAL CANCER IN ETHIOPIA, http://www.childsurvival.net/?content=com_articles&artid=2171	43
NEW THIS SATURDAY: HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS INFECTION AND CERVICAL CYTOLOGY IN HIV-INFECTED AND HIV-UNINFECTED RWANDAN WOMEN, http://www.childsurvival.net/?content=com_articles&artid=2278	40