KNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPTIILITY OF CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING AMONG FEMALE

Cancer of the cervix remains the most common malignant neoplasm of the female genitalia and the second most common cancer in women.. Cervical Cancers screening serves to detect the possibility that a cancer is present. The main objective of the study was to determine the knowledge and acceptability of Cervicals Cancer Screening among Female Part- Time Students in University of Benin. The hypothesis for the study was: there is no relationship between knowledge of cervical cancer and acceptability of cervical cancer screening. Survey research design was used in the study. Simple random sampling was used to select the sample. The sample consisted of 200 Female Part- Time Students in University of Benin. Data was collected using questionnaire. The study findings revealed that slightly above half more than half of (74%) of the respondents were between the age of 20-25 years, 58 (77%) respondents could not remember age of their first sexual intercourse, the majority 168(86%) of respondents have heard of cervical cancer, majority 126 (63%) of respondents heard about cervical cancer from media, hundred and two (51%) participants explained cervical cancer as abnormal lesion on the cervix, sixty four (32%) respondents stated that unprotected sexual intercourse is a risk factor of cervicals cancer, sixty (30%) of respondents stated that abnormal vaginal bleeding is a sign of cervical cancer, 120 (60%) respondents stated that cervical cancer can be detected by cervicals cancer screening, majority 194 (97%) of respondents stated that cervical cancers screening is done in hospital, majority 178 (89%) of respondents had never been screened for cervical cancers, majority 94 (47%) of respondents strongly agreed that cervical cancer screening is important, the majority 144(72%) of the respondents had no intention of going for cervicals cancer screening, majority 80 (40%) of respondents stated that lack of awareness to cervical cancers screening is a major barrier to cervical cancer screening. The study recommends among others that nurses should engage more on giving Information Education and Communication (IEC) at all levels of Health Care Delivery toward cervical cancers screening. Cervical cancers screening center should be made available in university of Benin health center at subsidized amount so that female students can easily access the service.