Cervical Cancer Knowledge, Risk Factors and Screening Practices among Women Residing in Urban Slums of Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of female cancer deaths in Nigeria. Routine cervical cancer screening and early treatment can prevent up to 80% of cervical cancers. This study was carried out to assess the knowledge, risk factors and practice of cervical cancer screening among women residing in urban slums of Lagos, Nigeria. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 315 women aged 21-65 years in two slums in Lagos, Nigeria. A two-stage sampling method was used to select respondents. Data was collected using interviewer administered questionnaires. Analysis was done with IBM SPSS version 20. RESULTS: Only 3.2% had heard of cervical cancer. Most of the women did not know the symptoms (99.4%), or risk factors (99.7%) of cervical cancer, and 96.8% had not heard about cervical cancer screening. Forty-four percent of the respondents were between 21-30 years of age. Half of the respondents (51.4%) had only one lifetime sexual partner. Thirty-eight percent of the respondents had 3-4 children. About forty percent had their first childbirth at less than 20 years of age. Only 4.4% use tobacco. Only two respondents (0.6%) had undergone cervical cancer screening however, 93.3% of the respondents were willing to undergo cervical cancer screening. There was no significant association between socio-demographic factors, risk factors, and willingness to undergo cervical cancer screening. CONCLUSION: Campaigns should be carried out by government and charitable organisations to increase the knowledge and practice of cervical cancer screening among women residing in slums.

CONTEXTE: Le cancer du col de l'utérus est la deuxième cause de décès par cancer chez les femmes au Nigeria. Le dépistage systématique du cancer du col de l'utérus et un traitement précoce peuvent prévenir jusqu'à 80 % des cancers du col de l'utérus. Cette étude a été menée pour évaluer les connaissances, facteurs de risque et la pratique du dépistage du cancer du col de l'utérus parmi femmes résidant dans les bidonvilles urbains de Lagos, au Nigeria. MÉTHODES: Cette étude descriptive transversale a été menée auprès de 315 femmes âgées de 21 à 65 ans. 315 femmes âgées de 21 à 65 ans dans deux bidonvilles de Lagos, au Nigeria. Une méthode d'échantillonnage à deux degrés a été utilisée pour sélectionner les répondants. Les données ont été recueillies à l'aide de questionnaires administrés par un interrogateur L''analyse a été réalisée avec IBM SPSS version 20. RÉSULTATS: Seuls 3,2 % des répondants avaient entendu parler du cancer du col de l'utérus. La plupart des femmes ne connaissaient pas les symptômes (99,4%) ou les facteurs de risque (99,7%) du cancer du col de l'utérus, et 96,8% n'avaient pas entendu parler du dépistage du cancer du col de l'utérus.Quarante-quatre pour cent des répondants étaient âgés de 21 à 30 ans. La moitié des répondantes (51,4%) n'ont eu qu'un seul partenaire sexuel au cours de leur vie. Trente-huit pour cent des répondants avaient 3 ou 4 enfants. Environ quarante pour cent ont eu leur premier accouchement à moins de 20 ans. Seulement 4,4 % consomment du tabac. Seuls deux répondants (0,6%) ont subi un dépistage du cancer du col de l'utérus, mais 93,3% des personnes interrogées étaient disposés à subir un dépistage du cancer du col de l'utérus. Il n'y avait pas d'association significative entre les facteurs sociodémographiques, les facteurs de risque et la volonté de se soumettre au dépistage du cancer du col de l'utérus. CONCLUSION: Des campagnes devraient être menées par le gouvernement et les organisations caritatives pour augmenter la connaissances et la pratique du dépistage du cancer du col de l'utérus parmi femmes résidant dans les bidonvilles. Mots clés: Cancer du col de l'utérus, connaissance, facteurs de risque, pratique, dépistage du cancer du col de l'utérus, Bidonville, Nigeria.

Prevalence and predictors of childhood enuresis in southwest Nigeria: Findings from a cross-sectional population study.

INTRODUCTION: Childhood enuresis is common, but the prevalence and factors associated with childhood enuresis in Africa have been poorly described. Furthermore, most studies from the continent have not provided data distinguishing monosymptomatic from non-monosymptomatic enuresis. This distinction is important as it guides enuresis therapy. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of enuresis in children aged 5-17 years in a community in Nigeria. The secondary objectives were to determine the relative proportions of monosymptomatic and non-monosymptomatic enuresis and identify independent sociodemographic and clinical predictors of enuresis. STUDY DESIGN: Parents or guardians in the community were interviewed using a pretested questionnaire. Standardized definitions were used, as recommended by the International Children's Continence Society. RESULTS: A total of 928 children were included in the study. The prevalence of enuresis or daytime incontinence and enuresis was 28.3% (enuresis 24.4%, and daytime incontinence and enuresis 4%); it decreased with age. Primary and monosymptomatic enuresis were the most common types of enuresis. In multiple logistic regressions, children aged 5-9 years were 10.41 (5.14-21.05) times more likely to have enuresis or daytime incontinence and enuresis compared with those aged 14-17 years. Other predictors of enuresis or daytime incontinence and enuresis were: male gender (OR 1.56 (1.13-2.14)); constipation (OR 2.56 (1.33-4.93)); and a sibling (OR 2.20 (1.58-3.06)) or parent (OR 3.14 (2.13-4.63)) with enuresis. Enuresis or daytime incontinence and enuresis was 1.92 (1.06-3.48) times more likely in fourth-born, or higher, children compared with first-born children. Only parents of nine (3.4%) children with enuresis had consulted a medical doctor about it. DISCUSSION: The high prevalence of childhood enuresis in the present study was consistent with most studies from developing countries and contrasted sharply with the lower rates reported among children in developed countries. Common reasons for this disparity were the influence of socioeconomic status on enuresis rates and the low utilization of effective enuresis therapies in developing countries. Consistent with published literature, monosymptomatic enuresis was the commonest form of enuresis in the present study. Furthermore, younger age, male gender and a family history of enuresis were strongly associated with enuresis. A major limitation of the study was the lack of use of a voiding diary. CONCLUSION: Childhood enuresis was common in the community but parents rarely sought medical attention. Predictors of enuresis were younger age, male gender, constipation, higher birth order, and a family history of enuresis.

Cervical Cancer and Human Papilloma Virus Knowledge and Acceptance of Vaccination among Medical Students in Southwest Nigeria.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the commonest viral sexually transmitted infection in the world and the leading cause of cervical cancer. Medical students as future healthcare providers will play a role in influencing patients' decision to receive HPV vaccination. This study was aimed at determining the knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV as well as the acceptance of HPV vaccination among medical students of the University of Lagos. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 280 medical students sampled using stratified sampling technique. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect relevant data. Most respondents were aware of cervical cancer (95.4%), HPV (85.4%) and HPV vaccination (69.3%) and the most common source of information was school teaching. Good knowledge of cervical cancer, HPV and HPV vaccination was demonstrated by 51.8%, 67.1% and 21.1% respectively; only 39.6% fully accepted HPV vaccination. Inadequate information and high costs were the obstacles identified to receiving vaccine and recommending it to others. Older age and higher levels of study were significantly associated with good knowledge of HPV. Good knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccination respectively were significantly associated with full acceptance of vaccination. There is need for more education on cervical cancer, HPV infection and HPV vaccination for the medical students via school teaching and other media, and inclusion of the HPV vaccine in the National Program on Immunization to improve access.

Blood donation practices and willingness to donate among residents of an urban slum in Lagos Nigeria.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to assess the blood donation practices and willingness to donate among residents of an urban slum. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross sectional descriptive study design with a qualitative and quantitative component. Multistage sampling was used to select 400 respondents for the questionnaire interview while three FGD sessions were conducted guide among three groups of participants namely youths, men and women. The information collected was analyzed manually (FGD) and with Epi info version 3.5.3. RESULTS: Majority of the questionnaire respondents were female, married, traders, had at least secondary school education, with mean age of 37.6 years. Only 12.0% had donated in the past, the main reason given by non donors was that they had never been asked to donate; this was also a key finding in the FGD. Willingness to donate was positively associated with being a male, single and Christian, age was a significant predictor of previous donation while more of the previous donors were still willing to donate, more for family/friends (p=0.036) than voluntarily (p=0.001) this view was supported by the participants at the FGD. CONCLUSION: Members of this urban slum had poor practice of blood donation,had positive attitude and were willing to donate, there is need to mobilise and organise outreach blood donation programs to convert attitude into actual practice.

Cervical cancer awareness and preventive practices: a challenge for female urban slum dwellers in Lagos, Nigeria.

Cervical cancer is the commonest gynaecological cancer in Nigeria and women of low socio-economic status are at high risk of this condition. A study was conducted on the awareness of cervical cancer, attitude towards the disease and screening practice of women residing in two urban slums of Lagos, Nigeria. It also determined the prevalence of major risk factors for cervical cancer among the women. Multistage sampling was used to select 240 women who were interviewed with a structured questionnaire and data collected was analyzed with Epi-info version 3.5.1 statistical software. Only 10 (4.2%) women in this study were aware of cervical cancer and none of them believed they were at risk of developing the disease. Most (73.3%) were willing to undergo a cervical cancer screening test. Age, education and previous history of vaginal examination were positively associated with willingness to undergo screening (p < 0.05). The respondents had a high prevalence of major risk factors for cervical cancer such as early age at sexual debut, multiple sexual partners and male partner with other female partners. Efforts need to be intensified to increase awareness of this condition and to promote low-cost cervical cancer screening among this underserved population.