Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of Women towards Cervical Cancer Screening at A Tertiary Care Institute in Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide. It is preventable by early detection of precancerous lesions by various screening techniques. Considering the importance of the perceptions and practices of the women about the disease and its screening, this study was conducted with an aim to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of women towards cervical cancer and its screening among Nepalese women visiting a tertiary care institute in Kathmandu. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 390 outpatients in the gynaecological outpatient department of Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital for a span of six months. Data were collected after obtaining ethical clearance from the institutional review board. A structured questionnaire covering the socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge, attitude and practice on cervical cancer and its screening was used. Results: Among the 390 women who were interviewed, the mean age was 41.9 years, 37% of the respondents had an average knowledge and 16.5% had a good knowledge about cervical cancer and its screening. There was a positive attitude among 70% of the respondents, however the uptake of screening among them was less than 25% only. Embarrassment (72%), pain (71%) and lack of privacy (65.9%) were the main barriers of screening. Conclusions: Knowledge regarding cervical cancer screening was found to be good and the attitude to undergo screening was positive. However, a significant number of barriers refrain women from seeking this service which is shown by the poor practice for screening.