Community Health Needs Assessment on Cervical Cancer Screening Uptake among Women of Reproductive Age in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State

Abstract

Introduction: Cervical cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer contributing to high mortality and morbidity all over the world. However, early diagnosis with screening has been linked with good prognosis but different factors have been implicated in the  poor uptake. Hence, a community health needs assessment about cervical cancer screening uptake among women of reproductive age in  Ijero Local Government Area (LGA) of Ekiti State Nigeria was carried out.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used using a purposive sampling technique to administer a self-structured  questionnaire to 132 respondents at the Ijero Local Government Council Secretariat, Ijero-Ekiti. Data were analysed using SPSS version  23. Results were presented in tables and figures.

Results: The majority (85.5%) of the respondents were Christians. 72.5% were married.  The vast majority (98.1) have heard about cervical cancer screening before but only 12.6% of the respondents had good knowledge about  it. The utilization rate was found to be low (26.1%). Not knowing the test location (69.4%), finance (82.9%), lack of proximity  (91.9%), not considering self as at risk (81.2%), and not having complaints about the cervix (90.9) were the main factors influence the  utilization of the screening process.

Conclusion: Knowledge and the utilization of women of reproductive age in Ijero LGA of Ekiti State is  still poor. Healthcare workers and the government of the Ekiti State should ensure that the women of reproductive age are well equipped  with the needed knowledge in order to make informed choices about their health.