Abstract
Background Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women aged 44 years and above in Ethiopia. Lack of awareness about the disease, lack of screening programs and inadequacy of vaccination in most regions of Ethiopia alarmingly increasing Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and incidence of the disease. Educational intervention is a fast and effective primary preventive step to reduce the cervical cancer burden.
Objective The present study was carried out to understand the impact of knowledge-based intervention and factors influencing the knowledge levels on young women attending college education at University of Gondar (UoG), Gondar.
Method A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted and data was collected using a standardized self-administered questionnaire in both English and Amharic (Ethiopian main official language) and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS ver.23, IBM).
Results There was an increase in overall awareness about cervical cancer (symptoms, risk factors, screening methods, and vaccination) in all post intervened students compared to baseline knowledge levels (before education intervention) statistically at p<0.001 significance level. The mean age of the study participants was 20.86 years (SD, 1.86). Out of total 283 women student participants, overall baseline awareness about cervical cancer symptoms (81.6%, p<0.002), risk factors (94.8%, p<0.001), HPV (60.6%, p<0.001), screening (84.3%, p<0.001) and HPV vaccines (42.1%, p<0.001) was more in 4th year and above over other respondents. After the intervention, knowledge levels increased in students 3rd and above years over 1st and 2nd-year students irrespective of the branch they belong. Initial awareness on various broad issues was 8.77 and after education intervention, it was 30.39 with mean overall knowledge increase of 21.62. However, baseline awareness was better on risk factors and poor on vaccination. After education intervention, an increase of 246% in overall knowledge about cervical cancer including symptoms, risk factors, HPV, screening and vaccination. Age, year of study, branch of study and family income were the explanatory variables significant on overall baseline knowledge levels and after education intervention, year of study was the only independent variable significant for the overall increase in knowledge levels.
Conclusion The present study suggests that educational intervention as the primary preventive method is effective and young trained women volunteers belong both rural and urban areas will be important stakeholder to increase positive attitude to reduce the cervical cancer burden in Ethiopia.
