Impact of nursing educational intervention on pap smear knowledge and screening uptake among women in cross river state, Nigeria
Easter C. Osuchukwu, Mathias Agba, Nneka Edith Ubochi, John Ita, Nelson OsuchukwuBACKGROUND:
Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of preventable deaths among Nigerian women, largely due to poor awareness and low Pap smear uptake. Empowering nurses to deliver focused educational interventions may bridge this gap. This study assessed the effectiveness of a nurse-led educational intervention in improving knowledge of cervical cancer and promoting Pap smear screening among women in Cross River State, Nigeria.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
A single-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial using a pre-test/post-test non-equivalent control design was conducted among 306 women selected through multistage sampling. Participants were assigned to intervention (
RESULTS:
Baseline findings showed poor knowledge of cervical cancer and Pap smear screening in both groups (85.6 vs. 86.9%). Post-intervention, good knowledge increased to 43.8% in the intervention group compared to 14.4% in controls. Pap smear uptake rose from 4.6 to 47.1% in the intervention group but remained static at 7.2% among controls.
CONCLUSION:
The nurse-led educational intervention produced a marked improvement in both knowledge and screening behavior. Nurses, as frontline health educators, are pivotal in driving community-level awareness and screening uptake, aligning with the global pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 3.