A STUDY ON AWARENESS OF RISK FACTORS AND SCREENING OF CERVICAL CARCINOMA: AMONG PATIENTS AND THEIR FEMALE ATTENDANTS AT REGIONAL CANCER CENTRE, AGARTALA, TRIPURA.

Shiromani Debbarma; Gautam Majumdar

Volume : VI, Issue : X, October - 2017

A STUDY ON AWARENESS OF RISK FACTORS AND SCREENING OF CERVICAL CARCINOMA: AMONG PATIENTS AND THEIR FEMALE ATTENDANTS AT REGIONAL CANCER CENTRE, AGARTALA, TRIPURA.

Shiromani Debbarma, Gautam Majumdar

Abstract :

Purpose: To study the awareness of risk factors and knowledge about screening of cervical carcinoma among patients and their female attendants at regional Cancer Centre.

Materials and method: A cross–sectional interview based study was carried out at Regional Cancer Centre, Agartala in 2017. Patients and their female attendants visiting at outpatient department (OPD) were selected randomly by a predesigned and a pretested questionnaire. Altogether 350 women were interviewed.

Observation and results: Among women, Primary level of education (16.8%) was more common than secondary education (10.0%) and illiterate women (64.8%) were most common. Majority of women (80.1%) belonged to rural areas and were of low socioeconomic strata (50.2%) (Class–III modified BG Prasad�s classification). The knowledge of associated risk factors of cervical cancer such as increasing age, early sexual activity, multiple sexual partners, multiparity, consumption of alcohol, use of tobacco and tobacco products were found inadequate among women. Most of the women (64.5%) who participated were not aware of about cervical cancer screening.

Conclusion: Women who were interviewed were mainly from rural areas and majority of them were illiterate. Maximum numbers of women were not aware of risk factors of about carcinoma cervix and as well as about the screening of this cancer.