International Journal of Scientific Research and Innovative Studies
Vol. 1(2), pp. 12-20, November 2021
doi.org/10.33500/ijsris.2021.01.002

Attitude, knowledge and socio-demographic determinants of healthy women of reproductive age towards cervical cytology screening

BEJIDE Ronald Ayodele¹, ADELODUN Taiye Stephen², OLATUNJI Sunday², ARAYOMBO Babatunde Elijah³, ABIONA Titilayo⁴, ADEWOLE Olarinde Stephen³, OJO Kayode Surajudeen³ and AJENIFUJA Kayode Olusegun⁵

¹Department of Morbid Anatomy and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
²Anatomy Department, Ben Carson School of Medicine, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Nigeria.
³Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
⁴Department of Community Health, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
⁵Department of Gynaecology, Oncology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

*To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bejider@babcock.edu.ng.

Received 26 August, 2021; Received in revised form 09 October, 2021; Accepted 11 October, 2021.

Abstract

Keywords:
Cervical cytology screening, Pap smear, Cervical cancer.

Potentially pre-cancerous changes in the cervix can be detected by a Pap test, in which epithelial cells are obtained from the surface of the cervix and examined under a microscope. Pap test screening has greatly reduced cervical cancer incidence and mortality in nations with regular screening programs. Most cervical cancers are detected in this way and without any other symptoms. However, most women who develop cervical cancer have never had a Pap test, or have not had one within the last ten years. Many women were not having regular Pap smear tests nor were they being tested with a new and improved immuno-cytochemistry/maturation index approach in Ile – Ife, Nigeria. Questionnaires were administered to subjects to assess awareness of cancer of the cervix, knowledge of Pap smear, attitude towards cervical cytology screening, and bio-data. This study showed that participants would, as a result of their pregnancies, want to go for cervical cytology screening (p<0.0001) and thereafter continue having the test (p = 0.019). This study has created an awareness to enhance the attitude of Ile – Ife women and their environment towards cervical cytology screening.