OBJECTIVES

To determine the awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards cervical cancer amongst HIV-positive women attending an ART clinic.

METHODS

Four hundred and fifty women who attended the HIV clinic at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, and who consented to participate in the study were randomly selected. They were given self-administered questionnaires which sought to determine their awareness and knowledge of cervical cancer and attitudes towards cervical cancer screening and prevention.

RESULTS

Over half of the respondents (57.1%, n = 256) had never heard of cervical cancer. More than three-quarter of the respondents had never heard of HPV (86.4%, n = 387) and HPV vaccines (88.8% (n = 398). There was a significant association between level of education and awareness of cervical cancer and HPV (χ2 = 33.123; p = 0.000 and χ2 = 13.356; p = 0.004) respectively. For all the women surveyed, the average percentage knowledge was 9.95. A few respondents (4%, n = 18) indicated that they knew someone with cervical cancer. Less than one-third of the respondents (23%, n = 103) knew that cervical cancer could be prevented. Having attitude scores greater than or equal to the mean attitude score of 55.16% was regarded as having a positive attitude while a score lower than that was regarded as negative attitude. Less than half (43.5%, n = 195) of the respondents had a positive attitude towards cervical cancer screening and prevention. There was also significant association between having had a Pap smear and attitude towards cervical cancer screening (χ2 = 20.745; p = 0.000). A majority of the respondents who smoked (71.4%, n = 10) had a positive attitude towards cervical cancer screening.

CONCLUSIONS

Awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards cervical cancer and its screening amongst studied HIV women were poor, very poor and negative respectively.