Knowledge of risk factors and utilization of cervical cancer screening services among health care workers in a Teaching Hospital in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Cervical cancer constitutes a major public health threat to women in many low resourced countries. 
Awareness and utilization of screening measures were reportedly low among health care workers. 
Knowledge of risk factors and utilization of cervical cancer screening services was assessed among health 
care workers in a teaching hospital in Southwestern Nigeria. Descriptive cross sectional study among 240 
female hospital staff was selected using a multi stage sampling method by a self-administered semi 
structured and pre-tested questionnaires. Data was analyzed using the SPSS software, level of significance 
was considered at P value < 0.05 for inferential statistics. About 64.2% of respondents had poor mean 
knowledge of risk factors to cancer of the cervix, 22.9% had moderate, while 12.9% had good mean 
knowledge score. Twenty four (10%) ever had Pap’s smear done. Higher educational level is a predictor of 
doing Pap’s smear; early sexual exposure was a predictor of having heard about Pap’s smear while 
multiple sexual partners are predictors of having heard about cancer of the cervix and having done a Pap’s 
smear. This study reveals that good awareness about cervical cancer, poor knowledge of risk factors and 
poor utilization of cervical cancer screening services characterized health workers.