Cervical cancer screening services targeting adult women in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study employed a randomized controlled trial to investigate the rate of cervical cancer screening among adult women in Cross River State, Nigeria. For the collection of data, a semi-structured questionnaire was used. The women underwent a health education intervention; they were divided into an experimental group with incentives and one without, as well as a control group. At baseline, only 120 (19.6%) of women had adequate knowledge, 139(22.7%) knew Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) is sexually transmitted, 289(47.1%) knew that HPV causes cervical cancer and 46 (7.6%) had been screened. The intervention yielded a net gain of 14.2 in knowledge and 16.0 points in attitude. There was a 60.3% net gain in uptake screening post intervention. McNemar chi-square yielded a statistically significant difference in knowledge (p<0.05), attitude (p<0.05) and uptake (p<0.05) in the intervention groups compared to the control groups. Recommendations include mobile screening centers and Income-based subsidized tests.