Predictors of Female Health Care Providers’ Knowledge on Symptoms and Risk Factors of Ovarian Cancer: A Tertiary Health Care Institutional Based Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Context: Ovarian cancer is responsible for more deaths per year than all other gynaecological cancers combined, and its overall mortality is high because of late presentation.

Aims: To evaluate the predictors of knowledge of the symptoms and the risk factors of ovarian cancer among female healthcare providers in Enugu, Nigeria.

Settings and Design: Cross‑sectional survey conducted at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu from June to August 2018.

Subjects and Methods: A self‑administered, structured questionnaire on symptoms and risk factors of ovarian cancer was given to 422 randomly selected female healthcare providers working at UNTH. Statistical Analysis: Data were analysed using SPSS version 22.0 for  Windows (Chicago, IL, USA). Predictors of knowledge level were determined using logistic regression. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Mean age of the respondents was 39.22 ± 7.89 years. Less than 50% of participants know the other symptoms of ovarian cancer outside increased abdominal size (n = 268, [63.5%]). Also, <50% of participants know the other risk factors of ovarian cancer outside family history of cancer (n = 288, [68.2%]) and genetic predisposition (n = 251, [59.5%]). Female doctors are less likely not to know about the symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 0.011, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.004–0.024, P < 0.001) and risk factors (OR = 0.005, 95% CI = 0.002–0.013, P < 0.001) of ovarian cancer.

Conclusions: Female healthcare providers had a reduced level of awareness of the risk factors and symptoms of ovarian cancer, while  female doctors are less likely not to know about the symptoms and the risk factors.

Keywords: Female health care workers, knowledge, ovarian cancer, predictors, risk factors, symptoms