Cervical Cancer Relevant Knowledge and Preventive Behavior among Secondary School Females in Port Said City

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer remains a major public health problem, classifying \nas the fourth mostly prevalent etiology of cancer incidence and mortality among \nfemales all over the world. It is a preventable problem when applying suitable \nsurveying and prophylactic methods. Then, knowledge and awareness deficit cause \npreventive methods loss. Objective: The current study aimed to assess cervical \ncancer relevant knowledge and preventive behavior among secondary school \nfemales in Port Said City. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three \nsecondary schools in Port Said city. Participants were 250 female students selected \nby systematic random sampling techniques. Data collected by questionnaires to \ndetermine the knowledge of the adolescent girls on cervical cancer and its \nprevention. Results: Only 21% of the students reported good knowledge level \nconcerning cervical cancer and 76.8% of the studied sample had inadequate level \nof knowledge. The present study revealed unsatisfactory preventive behaviors \nabout cervical cancer. Conclusion and recommendation: The present study \nrevealed unsatisfactory cervical cancer and prevention behaviors knowledge as a \ndisease among the female students. Our research recommended that there is a need \nfor educational programs for secondary school females about cervical cancer and \nprevention behaviors