Knowledge and Awareness of Cervical Cancer and Screening Practices among Nurses at Lahore General Hospital, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To find out the knowledge, awareness and screening practices of cervical cancer among nurses at Lahore general Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, interview based study was conducted on 250 nurses at Lahore general Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. The duration of this study was one year from 2017 to 2018. All the cases underwent interview based information regarding cervical cases. The questionnaire was applied to assess the knowledge, awareness and screening practices about cervical cancer among nurses. Data was collected via self-made proforma. Results: Most of the study participants were less than 35 years. 72% nurses were married and 28% were unmarried. Most of the study participants 96% known that cervical cancer is the abnormal growth of cervical cells and few were unaware regarding it. According to causes of cervical cancer, 70% to 75.6% participants agreed with the causes of early marriage and multiple sex partners, while others had ideas of smoking, infection and hereditary causes. 25.5% nurses answered that it can occur in any age group, 11.2% replied in reproductive age group, 42.8% were agreed with menopausal age group and 20.4% had no idea. 75.6% to 95.5% nurses were in the favor of scanning, pap smear test and cervical biopsy methods. 85 participants said it is a preventable disease via vaccination, early diagnosis and safe sex activities. Conclusion: It was concluded that nurses had satisfactory knowledge and screening practice cervical cancer at Lahore general Hospital.