Abstract

Cervical Cancer: Knowledge, Screening Practices and Vaccines among Female Medical Students in the Commonwealth of Dominica

Background: The mortality rate associated with cervical cancer has been on a steady decrease in developed countries, due to the fact that it is a preventable disease if detected early. Apart from making tools and equipment available for necessary screening, proper awareness of cervical cancer is highly recommended among females of susceptible ages. Awareness of cervical cancer remains a concern in the Caribbean. This study presents the knowledge of cervical cancer, screening practices and vaccines among female medical students at the All Saints University School of Medicine, Dominica.

Methods and Findings: The study included a crosssectional design involving 100 females above the age of 15 years. Self-administered questionnaire were administered and results analyzed. About 70% and 72.73% acknowledged to been aware of cervical cancer and cervical screening respectively. The awareness status presented by this study was significantly lower than reports in developed counties.

Conclusion: This study thus emphasized a need for proper orientation of female medical students on cervical cancer and screening.

Author(s):

Deborah Akpo, Priscilla Deji, Victory Idiake, David Otohinoyi, Srinivas Medavarapu

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