Zeitschrift für Karzinogenese und Mutagenese

Abstrakt

Assessment of Knowledge on Cervical Cancer among Bangladeshi Women: A Hospital Based Cross Sectional Study

Arun Shahi Haque, Nabila Binte Haque, Tajul Islam and Mollah Obayedullah Baki

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge of cervical cancer among Bangladeshi women and to determine the source of information.

Methods: A total of 250 women aged 17 to 55 years, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. It is a population-based, cross-sectional survey which was conducted in a tertiary cancer hospital, National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH), Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh from September 2017 to March 2018. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of cervical cancer and source of information were collected. The bivariate analysis was completed using a quantitative data collected.

Results: The majority of our study participants reported to have very poor Knowledge about cervical cancer. Mostly it is related with women’s low level of formal education, illiterate (OR: 5.653, 95% CI: 0.021-0.257, p value<0.001). Very few women reported to have detailed knowledge about cervical cancer (Education above primary level p value<0.001). Other factors associated with poor knowledge were Occupation (OR: 6.543, 95% CI: 2.213-19.206, p-value<0.001) monthly family income (p value<0.001), Husband’s education level (p value<0.001). We found age of the women was significantly responsible for poor knowledge, women aged more than 40 years (p value<0.005) old having cervical cancer were unaware about cervical cancer.

Conclusion: Knowledge about cervical cancer is found to be poor among Bangladeshi women, unlike findings in developed countries. There is need to educate our women on the early warning signs of cervical cancer as failure to recognize the early symptoms and signs contribute to the late presentation and poor prognosis.