ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Cervical cancer is the cause of 311,000 deaths each year worldwide and 1,540 deaths in Cameroon. It is a public health problem, but only one in ten women is screened for cervical cancer screening in Cameroon. Little data is available on the KAPs of health professionals in the Mifi Health District, in the west Region of Cameroon. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of these professionals vis-à-vis cervical cancerResults: Overall, 200 health professionals were interviewed. Regarding the knowledge of the cause of cervical cancer, only 35% of participants were able to declare HPV. With regards to prevention measures, 32% of health professionals knew HPV vaccine. Regarding the perception of the disease; 79.3% of Physicians evoked cervical cancer as severe disease. Concerning the practice of screening, only 15% of health professionals routinely advise screening. CONCLUSION: Health workers in the health district of Mifi have poor knowledge on cervical cancer and weak practice of screening. Training of health professionals and the development of cervical cancer screening units are needed.
Subject(s)
Papillomavirus Infections , Papillomavirus Vaccines , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms , Cameroon , Cross-Sectional Studies , Early Detection of Cancer , Female , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Papillomavirus Infections/diagnosis , Papillomavirus Infections/prevention & control , Papillomavirus Vaccines/therapeutic use , Surveys and Questionnaires , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/prevention & controlABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Cervical cancer is the cause of 311,000 deaths each year worldwide and 1,540 deaths in Cameroon. It is a public health problem, but only one in ten women is screened for cervical cancer screening in Cameroon. Little data is available on the KAPs of health professionals in the Mifi Health District, in the west Region of Cameroon. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of these professionals vis-à-vis cervical cancerResults: Overall, 200 health professionals were interviewed. Regarding the knowledge of the cause of cervical cancer, only 35% of participants were able to declare HPV. With regards to prevention measures, 32% of health professionals knew HPV vaccine. Regarding the perception of the disease; 79.3% of Physicians evoked cervical cancer as severe disease. Concerning the practice of screening, only 15% of health professionals routinely advise screening. CONCLUSION: Health workers in the health district of Mifi have poor knowledge on cervical cancer and weak practice of screening. Training of health professionals and the development of cervical cancer screening units are needed.