Knowledge about cervical cancer early warning signs and symptoms, risk factors and vaccination among students at a medical school in Al-Ahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
BACKGROUND
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among females and also the most preventable. In the literature there is abundant evidence that awareness regarding cervical cancer and its prevention is low in the developing countries. Medical students are the future health professionals and can play an important role in increasing awareness among the general population. To assess the knowledge regarding symptoms, risk factors and prevention of cervical carcinoma among medical students in th Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the present study was planned.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire with students at the College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, KSA, from December 2012 to May 2013.


RESULTS
The responses of 188 students (males 111, females 77) in their second, third, fourth, and fifth years were recorded and used in the data analysis. The majority of the students were not aware of the early warning signs, symptoms and risk factors. On average, only 43.7% males and 56% of females were aware about the early signs and symptoms whereas 51.4% males and 57.8% females had knowledge about the risk factors of cervical cancers. Some 55% males and 46.8% females were unable to select the correct answer regarding human papilloma virus (HPV) infection as the cause of cervical cancer. Majority of the students (67%) were not aware about the availability of vaccine against HPV.


CONCLUSIONS
Lack of knowledge regarding early signs and symptoms, risk factors and prevention of cervical cancer was observed in the present study.
College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia E-mail : aaleem@kfu.edu.sa.
Abdulaziz Ahmed
AA
Al-Darwish
Abdullah Fouad
AF
Al-Naim
Khalid Saleh
KS
Al-Mulhim
Nasser Khaled
NK
Al-Otaibi
Mohammed Saad
MS
Morsi
Ansari Mukhtar
AM
Aleem
D001364:Awareness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000502:physiology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology; D014611:Vaccination
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines