Assessment of Cervical Cancer Prevention Strategy among Adolescent Girls: Cross-Sectional Study from North Gujarat, Western India
Jyoti A. Landge, Diya Rawal, Ruchita Lunagariya, Mrinalini GaikwadAbstract
Background:
Cervical cancer is one of the preventable and curable cancer. India has a high burden of cervical cancer than other South Asian countries. National Cancer Control Program has been implemented for long time still there is not much awareness about prevention and control strategies of cervical cancer in reproductive women as well as adolescent girls.
Objectives:
The present study was conducted to determine level of knowledge and awareness about screening and vaccination program for cervical cancer among late adolescent girls in a university campus.
Methodology:
A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Parent University of Medical College (Sakalchand Patel University), in 6-month duration. For study purpose, we had chosen a study population of late adolescent girls studying in various streams inside university campus. A total of 105 girls were enrolled as study participants after taking written consent from the head of the institute and girls’ student.
Results:
All study participants were in the age group of 19–23 years learning in different streams of the university campus, residing in urban area, and upper-middle-class family. Very few were aware about cervical cancer screening test and 16.2% were aware about the correct age for screening. Only one-fourth of girls were aware about the availability of vaccine for cervical cancer and out of them 18.5% could tell correct name of vaccine, 37% correctly answered the age for vaccination.
Conclusion:
In our study, participants were late adolescents and young girls attending higher education (Graduate) in a university campus still the awareness of cervical cancer screening and vaccination was low.