Department of Family Medicine & Public Health, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2020 Aug;20(3):e301-e309. doi: 10.18295/squmj.2020.20.03.009. Epub 2020 Oct 5.
This study aimed to assess knowledge and attitudes among Omani woman regarding cervical cancer risk factors and symptoms as well as barriers to them seeking medical help.
This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2017 and March 2018 at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) in Muscat, Oman. A validated Arabic-language version of the Cervical Cancer Awareness Measure questionnaire was used to collect data from 550 Omani women visiting SQUH during the study period.
A total of 490 women participated (response rate: 89.1%) in this study. Overall, the women demonstrated low levels of knowledge of cervical cancer risk factors and symptoms (28.5% and 45.0%, respectively). The most frequently recognised risk factor was having many children (36.1%), while the most recognised symptom was unexplained vaginal bleeding (69.8%). Women reported that being too scared was the greatest barrier to seeking medical help (68.0%). Various factors were significantly associated with greater knowledge of cervical cancer signs and symptoms including education level (odds ratio [OR] = 2.85; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0-8.22; <0.05), income (OR = 4.34; 95% CI: 1.70-11.12; <0.05), parity (OR = 3.59; 95% CI: 1.38-9.36; <0.05) and a family history of cancer (OR = 1.71; CI: 1.0-2.90; <0.05).
Overall, Omani women demonstrated poor knowledge with regards to cervical cancer; in addition, they identified several emotional barriers to seeking medical help. Healthcare practitioners should reassure female patients to encourage care-seeking behaviour. A national screening programme is also recommended to increase awareness and early diagnosis of cervical cancer in Oman.
本研究旨在评估阿曼女性对宫颈癌风险因素和症状的认知和态度，以及她们寻求医疗帮助的障碍。
本横断面研究于 2017 年 12 月至 2018 年 3 月在阿曼马斯喀特的苏丹卡布斯大学医院（SQUH）进行。使用经过验证的阿拉伯语版宫颈癌意识测量问卷从研究期间访问 SQUH 的 550 名阿曼女性中收集数据。
共有 490 名女性参与了这项研究（应答率：89.1%）。总的来说，女性对宫颈癌风险因素和症状的认知水平较低（分别为 28.5%和 45.0%）。最常被识别的风险因素是生育子女多（36.1%），而最常见的症状是不明原因的阴道出血（69.8%）。女性报告说，过于害怕是寻求医疗帮助的最大障碍（68.0%）。教育程度（比值比[OR] = 2.85；95%置信区间[CI]：1.0-8.22；<0.05）、收入（OR = 4.34；95%CI：1.70-11.12；<0.05）、产次（OR = 3.59；95%CI：1.38-9.36；<0.05）和癌症家族史（OR = 1.71；CI：1.0-2.90；<0.05）等多种因素与对宫颈癌体征和症状的认知显著相关。
总的来说，阿曼女性对宫颈癌的认知较差；此外，她们还确定了一些寻求医疗帮助的情感障碍。医疗保健从业者应让女性患者放心，以鼓励她们寻求医疗服务。还建议在阿曼开展全国性的筛查计划，以提高对宫颈癌的认识和早期诊断。
