Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cervical Cancer Knowledge, Perceptions and Screening Behaviour Among Female University Students in Ghana

  • Published:
Journal of Cancer Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cervical cancer is becoming a leading cause of death among women in developing countries. Nevertheless, little is known regarding knowledge and perception of cervical cancer and screening behaviour particularly among female tertiary students in Ghana. This study sought to examine the knowledge and perceptions of cervical cancer and screening behaviour among female students in the University of Cape Coast and Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in Ghana. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study. Systematic and stratified random sampling techniques were used to select 410 participants for the study. The study found that the participants lacked knowledge on specific risk factors and symptoms of cervical cancer. Also, even though the participants had a fair perception of cervical cancer, they had a poor cervical cancer screening behaviour. Awareness of cervical cancer was significantly influenced by religious affiliation while cervical cancer screening was significantly determined by the working status of the participants. Specific knowledge on cervical cancer and its risk factors as well as regular screening behaviour is paramount to the prevention of cervical cancer. Consequently, the University Health Services should focus on promoting regular cervical cancer awareness campaigns and screening among the students particularly, females.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. International Agency for Research on Cancer [IARC] (2012) Globocan 2012: estimated cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide in 2012. http://globocan.iarc.fr /Pages/fact_sheets_cancer.aspx. (Accessed June 25, 2014)

  2. Asante-Agyei L (2010) Treating cervical cancer, is there a hope for African women? http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/health/artikel.php?ID=187507. (Accessed June 25, 2014)

  3. Anorlu RI (2008) Cervical cancer: the sub-Saharan African perspective. Reprod Health Matt 16(32):41–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Hoque E, Hoque M (2009) Knowledge of and attitude towards cervical cancer among female university students in South Africa. S Afr J Epidem Infect 24(1):21–24

    Google Scholar 

  5. Abotchie PN, Shokar NK (2009) Cervical cancer screening among college students in Ghana: knowledge and health beliefs. Int J Gynaecol Cancer 19(3):412–416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Leung SSK, Leung I (2010) Cervical cancer screening: knowledge, health perception and attendance rate among Hong Kong Chinese women. Inter J Women Health 2:221–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Sudenga SL, Rositch AF, Otieno WA et al (2013) Knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceived risk of cervical cancer among Kenyan women: brief report. Int J Gynaecol Cancer 23(5):895–899

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ayinde OA, Omigbodun AO, Ilesanmi AO (2004) Awareness of cervical cancer, Papanicolau’s smear and its utilisation among female undergraduates in Ibadan. Afr J Reprod Health 8:68–80

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Aswathy S, Quereshi MA, Kurian B et al (2012) Cervical cancer screening: current knowledge & practice among women in a rural population of Kerala, India. Ind J Med Res 136:205–210

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Sankaranarayanan R, Ferlay J (2006) Worldwide burden of gynaecological cancer: the size of the problem. Best Prac Res: Clin Obstet Gynaecol 20:207–225

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Harris, S. (2014) Cervical cancer health centre: cervical cancer and fertility. http://www.webmd.boots.com/cancer/cervical-cancer/features/cervical-cancer-and-fertility. (Accessed June 25, 2014)

  12. Al-Sairafi M, Mohamed FA (2009) Knowledge, attitudes, and practice related to cervical cancer screening among Kuwaiti women. Med Princ Pract 18(1):35–42

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Al-Meer FM, Aseel MT, Al-Khalaf J et al (2011) Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding cervical cancer and screening among women visiting primary health care in Qatar. East Meditter Health J 17(11):855–861

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lee EE, Fogg L, Menon U (2008) Knowledge and beliefs related to cervical cancer and screening among Korean American women. West J Nurs Res 30(8):960–974

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Abiodun OA, Fatungase OK, Olu-Abiodun OO (2014) Knowledge, perception and predictors of uptake of cervical screening among rural Nigerian women. J Publ Health Epidem 6(3):119–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of the following people in the fieldwork and data entry stages: Mr. Kwamena Sakyi Dickson and Mr. Emmanuel Ampratwum of the Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, and Mr Edward Asante of the School of Public Service and Governance, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.

Conflict of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Service and Governance, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Accra, Ghana

    Charity Binka

  2. Department of Population and Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Hohoe, Ghana

    Samuel H Nyarko

  3. Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana

    David T Doku

Authors
  1. Charity Binka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Samuel H Nyarko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. David T Doku
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samuel H Nyarko.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Binka, C., Nyarko, S.H. & Doku, D.T. Cervical Cancer Knowledge, Perceptions and Screening Behaviour Among Female University Students in Ghana. J Canc Educ 31, 322–327 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-015-0852-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-015-0852-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation