LEVEL OF ACADEMIC COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF CERVICAL CANCER AND STRATEGIES FOR PUBLIC ENLIGHTENMENT IN ANAMBRA STATE

SOURCE:

Faculty: Education
Department: Adult Education

CONTRIBUTORS:

Chuwuemerie, O.C;
Ugwoegbu, I.T;
Adebola, H.E;

ABSTRACT:

Lack of awareness of cervical cancer has been identified as one of the factors which contribute to the high prevalence of cervical cancer in the developing countries. Awareness is pivotal to fighting cervical cancer because the cost of treatment of the disease is prohibitive and health care facilities very few and inaccessible. This study was carried out to determine the level of academic community awareness of cervical cancer and strategies for enlightenment in Anambra State using staff of tertiary institutions in the state. The need for the study arose because of the threat the disease pose to every woman and the need to supply empirical evidence that may attract intervention. The study was a descriptive survey guided by five research questions and 17 hypotheses. The population of the study comprised 8,487 staff of tertiary institutions in Anambra State. A sample size of 382 was determined for the study through Taro Yamane sampling technique. The instrument used for the study was a 60 – item questionnaire. Cronbach Alpha technique was used to ascertain the reliability of the instrument and reliability coefficients of 0.90, 0.86, 0.89, 0.92 and 0.74 were established. Data collected were analyzed using frequency distribution, percentage and mean statistic for the research questions whileANOVA and t-test were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study on awareness of existence and susceptibility of cervical cancer showed participants were moderately aware.The study also revealed a poor awareness of risk factors of cervical cancer; a very poor awareness of signs and symptoms of cervical cancer and a poor awareness of preventive measures of cervical cancer. The study also showed that respondents identified ten strategies for spreading awareness of cervical cancer. The implications of the study were highlighted. It was recommended among other things that Federal Ministry of Health, other government agencies and NGOs should develop intervention programmes, collaborate, produce and make available educative materials on cervical cancer in strategic places such as market places and reception halls of private and public organizations.

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