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UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Bridging the Gap: Transforming Knowledge into Action

July 8-12, 2006, Washington, DC, USA

Sunday, 9 July 2006 - 12:00 PM
10-26

Awareness of Some Common Gender Related Cancers among Women in Southern Nigeria

Augusta Chinyere Nsonwu, M.Sc, Chemical Pathology Department, University of Calabar, Calabar, Ettagbo Road, Calabar, Nigeria, Chinyere Adanna Opara Usoro, Ph.D, Chemical Pathology Department, University of Calabar, Ettagbo Road, Calabar, Nigeria, Cajetan Chibuike Nsonwu, BMLS, Medical Microbiology/Parasitology Department, Federal Medical Centre Owerri, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Orlu Road, Owerri, Nigeria, and Gloria Chidimma Anele, RN, RM, Nursing Department, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Choba Road, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Objective: Ignorance, Illiteracy and superstitions influence the attitude of most Nigerians to the cancer menace. This study aimed to determine the level of awareness of a cross section of women from five states in Southern Nigeria to the presence of some common gender related cancers as breast cancer, cervical, ovarian and uterine cancers.

Methods:A total of 1000 women (200 from each state) living in both the rural and urban areas of five states in Southern Nigeria were recruited for the study. A structured comprehensive questionnaire was distributed to the women and used to collect data on educational background, family history, religious beliefs, cancer awareness, diet, medication and social habits as alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking. Results were analyzed at 99% confident interval.

Results:The awareness for breast, cervical, ovarian and uterine cancers were significantly (p<0.01) higher in women living in the urban areas than in those living in the rural areas. Cancer awareness was significantly higher in women that have basic formal education than in those without any form of formal education. Seventy percent of the population of the study attributed cancer to witchcraft and black magic whereas the remaining 30% regards it as a clinical condition with indeterminate etiology Educational background and religious beliefs greatly influence the awareness for cancer in women in southern Nigeria. There is need for organization of cancer awareness programmes in our rural areas to enhance early disease intervention.


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