Awareness and knowledge regarding of cervical cancer, Pap smear screening and human papillomavirus infection in Gabonese women.
BACKGROUND
Cervical cancer is the commonest cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality in women in Gabon. The age-standardized incidence of cervical cancer is 19.9 per 100 000 women and the mortality rate is 8.4 per 100 000. Various international studies have identified the lack of awareness and knowledge about cervical cancer as barriers to use preventive methods. This article assesses the awareness and knowledge about cervical cancer, Pap smear testing and its use and HPV among women living in Libreville, Gabon.


METHODS
This study was conducted in October 2014 in Libreville. A total of 452 women aged 16 years and above were recruited from different town locations. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the effect of demographic characteristics on the level of knowledge about cervical cancer, Pap smear testing and HPV. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were used to identify the strength of association. Associations were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05.


RESULTS
Of all the women interviewed, 91.6% (414/452) had heard about cervical cancer and only 27.9% (126/452) had heard of Pap smear test. Of these 126 women, only 65.1% (82/126) had done cervical cancer screening and 68.3% (56/82) on the suggestion of a doctor. The most common reason for not undergoing Pap smear testing was neglect (50%, 22/44) followed by lack of financial resources (13.6%, 6/44), fear of discovering a serious disease (13.6%, 6/44) and deeming it unimportant (13.6%, 6/44). Only 8% (40/452) of the participants had heard about HPV and their knowledge of HPV was fair. There is a very poor level of knowledge about cervical cancer among Gabonese women.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates a very low level of knowledge about cervical cancer, Pap smear testing and HPV in a sample of Gabonese women. There is a critical need for Gabonese women to be informed about cervical cancer and the Pap smear test to improve the use of this preventive method. The implication of health staff and Gabonese media should be included as a centerpiece in the effort to inform the population in order to reduce the burden of cervical cancer in Gabon and save women lives.
Laboratoire de Virologie, Microbiologie et Qualité/Eco toxicologie et Biodiversité, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Mohammedia, Université Hassan II- Casablanca, Casablanca, Maroc. samirazoaassoumou@yahoo.fr.|Laboratoire d'Agroalimentaire et Santé, Département de biologie, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Hassan I, Settat, Maroc. samirazoaassoumou@yahoo.fr.
Samira Zoa
SZ
Assoumou
Département d'Anatomie et de Cytologie pathologiques, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Libreville, Gabon. barthelemy.mabika@yahoo.com.
Barthelemy Mabika
BM
Mabika
Laboratoire de référence MST/Sida, Laboratoire de référence rougeole, rubéole et fièvre jaune, Département de Bactériologie et Virologie, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Libreville, Gabon. labmicuss@gmail.com.
Angelique Ndjoyi
AN
Mbiguino
Laboratoire de Virologie, Microbiologie et Qualité/Eco toxicologie et Biodiversité, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Mohammedia, Université Hassan II- Casablanca, Casablanca, Maroc. m.mouallif@gmail.com.|Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium. m.mouallif@gmail.com.
Mustapha
M
Mouallif
Laboratoire d'Agroalimentaire et Santé, Département de biologie, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Hassan I, Settat, Maroc. ak_khattabi@yahoo.fr.
Abdelkim
A
Khattabi
Laboratoire de Virologie, Microbiologie et Qualité/Eco toxicologie et Biodiversité, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Mohammedia, Université Hassan II- Casablanca, Casablanca, Maroc. m.ennaji@yahoo.fr.
My Mustapha
MM
Ennaji
D000328:Adult; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D065006:Papanicolaou Test / Q000379:methods; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D058996:Quality Improvement; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods