Knowledge of risk factors of cervical cancer among women in Togo (West Africa)

Objectives: Cervical cancer is the leading cancer among women in Africa. Although early detection and treatment significantly increase the odds of survival, African women with cervical cancer tend to seek medical help when the cancer is in its late stages. Therefore very few survive. This study investigated the knowledge of risk factors of cervical cancer among Togolese women in hopes to advocate for cancer education in Togo. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by means of a survey in Lomẻ, Togo. One hundred and forty seven women were presented with a list of risk factors of cervical cancer such as age, alcohol use, and having multiple sexual partners. Measures of association (gamma) were run to assess factors that affect accurate knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors. Results: Knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors was very poor among the study participants. Only educational attainments positively correlated with accurately identifying age and HIV as risk factors of cervical cancer. However, people with higher levels of education did not know that low fiber diet, tobacco use, having multiple sexual partners, and use of oral contraceptives are risks factors. Other factors such as marital status and age of respondents did not correlate with accurate knowledge of risk factors. Conclusion: Awareness of risk factors of cervical cancer would be the first step for cancer prevention efforts in Africa, as many women regardless of socioeconomic status do not know the risk factors.