Oluwatosin Motunrayo Rotimi
University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Title: Knowledge and attitude towards cervical cancer screening among fi rst year female students on the Howard College Campus at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2015
Biography
Biography: Oluwatosin Motunrayo Rotimi
Abstract
Cervical cancer continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality among women in the developing world. It is currently
the second most commonly reported cancer among women in South Africa. Approximately one in every 26 South African
women will develop cervical cancer during their lifetime. Organized cytology-based screening programs using Papanicolaou
smear testing continues to be the single most eff ective tool in reducing deaths due to cervical cancer. Despite the creation of
a national cervical cancer screening program, fi ndings have shown low level of knowledge of cervical cancer and screening
methods among university female students in South Africa. Th is study presents the assessment of the level of knowledge
of cervical cancer screening among fi rst year female students on the Howard College Campus (HCC) at the University of
KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN); to determine their attitudes towards cervical cancer screening and; to examine the factors infl uencing
their knowledge and attitude towards cervical screening. An observational cross-sectional study design with both descriptive
and analytic components was implemented. Th e study was conducted on the HCC at the UKZN. A proportional stratifi ed
random sampling technique was used to select 244 fi rst year female students aged 18 to 25 years. Data was collected using
a standardized structured self-administered questionnaire. Th e data was analyzed using descriptive and analytic statistics.
Th e results show fairly good level of awareness of cervical cancer (75.4%) and cervical cancer screening method (Pap smear)
(70.9%). However, knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors, symptoms, screening methods and treatment was poor.