Knowledge and Attitudes of Paramedical Staff of the Sylvanus Olympio Hospital of Lome in Togo on Screening for Precancerous Lesions of the Cervix in 2023

Abstract

Introduction: In Togo, the specific mortality due to cervical cancer is considerable. As the paramedical staff most often represents the first contact health personnel, the general objective of our study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of the paramedical staff of the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital (CHU SO) on the means of screening for cervical cancer.

Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study that took place from June 27 to July 27, 2023, among the paramedical staff of CHU SO. Data was saved in an Excel database. The statistical analysis was carried out using the open source software R. Based on the model of Essi et al., the assessment of the level of knowledge was quantified.

Results: All 306 respondents once heard about cervical cancer. In 69.9% of the cases, it was during their training. The HPV was cited as a risk factor in 80.4% of cases. They were aware of screening as a means of prevention in 96.7% of cases. This screening should be annual according to 45.5%. Fifty percent (50%) had judged the screening poorly conducted in Togo. This screening should be done by cervical smear test (92.9%), or by the IVA/IVL technique (10.4%). Overall, 56.2% of paramedical staff had a «wrong» attitude and 1.6% a «right» one.

Conclusion: At the end of our study, we notice an insufficiency in terms of knowledge and attitudes. Few participants were aware of the HPV test as a means of screening for cervical cancer. Strategies for improving skills are required. Hence there is a need for a continuous training for the paramedical staff in terms of cervical cancer and the establishment of efficient national programmes to prevent this cancer.