Güney-Güney Nijerya'da, kadın hemşireler arasında, serviks kanseri tarama yöntemi olarak servikal smear farkındalığı ve uygulaması

AMAÇ: Serviks kanseri kadınlar arasındaki en yaygın ikinci kanser olarak önemli bir halk sağlığı sorunudur ve gelişmiş ülkelerde etkin tarama programları sonucunda önemli ölçüde kontrol edilmiştir. Bu çalışmanın amacı güney-güney Nijerya’'da bir üçüncü basamak sağlık tesisinde görev yapmakta olan hemşireler arasında bir serviks kanseri tarama yöntemi olarak servikal smear uygulaması farkındakilığı araştırmaktır. YÖNTEM: Yarı yapılandırılmış soru formları Uyo Üniversitesi Eğitim Hastanesi’'ndeki tüm kadın hemşirelere dağıtılmıştır. BULGULAR: Katılımcıların yaşları 21-60 aralığında idi ve en fazla 31-40 yaş grubunda idiler (%48.9). Katılımcıların çoğu evliydi (%59.7) ve %36.4’'ü on yıldan uzun süredir hemşirelik yapmakta idi. Grubun büyük çoğunluğu servikal smear’'i duymuştu (%94.3) ve %79.5’'i servikal smear’'in serviksin premalin hastalıklarını teşhis için kullanıldığını biliyordu. Hemşirelerin sadece %7.4’'ü serviks kanseri taraması yaptırmıştır. Tarama yaptırmayan katılımcıların bildirdiği en sık nedenler, serviks kanseri adayı olduğunu düşünmemek (%31.9), tarama yapılırken ihmal etmek (%28.8) olmuştur. Serviks kanseri hakkındaki en yaygın bilgi kaynakları hastane ortamı (%87.5) ve kaynak kitaplar (%13.6) olmuştur. SONUÇ: Bir koruyucu önlem olarak servikal smear’'in farkındalığı yüksel olmasına karşın, testin kullanımı umut kırıcı düzeyde düşüktür. Kanser koruma ve kontrolünde modern yaklaşım hemşirelik okulu müfredatına eklenmeli ve hemşireler toplum üyeleri ile olan kanser ve korunması konulu sağlık eğitimi etkinliklere dahil edilmelidir. Yazılı ve elektronik yayınlar ortamımızda serviks kanserinden korunma bilgisinin yaygınlaştırılmasına katılabilir.

[Awareness and practice of cervical smear as a screening procedure for cervical cancer among female nurses in A tertiary hospital in south-south Nigeria]

AIM: Carcinoma of the cervix, the second most common cancer among women remains a public health problem. Though this preventable cancer occurs more commonly in the developing world, it is almost nonexistent in developed countries where there are well established screening programs. The aim of this study is to determine the degree of awareness and practice of cervical smear as a screening procedure for cervical cancer among female nurses in a tertiary health facility in south-south Nigeria. METHOD: Semi-structured questionnaires were distributed to all the female nurses at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital. RESULTS: The ages of the respondents were between 21 - 60 years with the modal age group being 31- 40 years (48.9%). Majority of the respondents were married (59.7%) and 36.4% of them had practiced nursing for over 10 years. Majority of the respondents (94.3%) had heard of the cervical smear and 79.5% of the nurses knew that cervical smears were used to detect premalignant diseases of the cervix. Only 7.4% of the nurses had undergone screening for cervical cancer. Common reasons given by the respondents who had not screened were not being a candidate for cervical cancer (31.9%) and ignorance as to where screening is done (28.8%). The most common sources of information about cervical smear were the hospital (87.5%) and textbooks (13.6%). CONCLUSION: The level of awareness of the cervical smear as a preventive tool for cervical cancer was high but utilization of the test was disappointingly low. Modern concepts of cancer prevention and control should be included in the curriculum of the school of nursing and nurses should be involved in the organisation of health talks to members of the community on cervical cancer and its prevention. The print and electronic media should be made to participate in the dissemination of information on the prevention of cervical cancer in our environment.

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