The relationship between exposure to Soul City Educational Programme and knowledge and practices of South African women aged 16-65 years on cancer of the cervix
Date
2010-02-25T14:00:39Z
Authors
Moremi, Lemphi Mayoyo
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Abstract
Background: Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication
(SC IHDC), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) set up to promote health
through media tackled cervical cancer in 2006. The Soul City cervical cancer
educational programme was developed and broadcasted on South African
Broadcasting Cooperation (SABC1) television and radio stations across the
country. This paper assesses the relationship between exposure to educational
programme and knowledge and practise of South African women on cervical
cancer.
Objective: To investigate if there is an association between exposure to Soul
City educational programme on cervical cancer and knowledge and practice of
South African women in relation to cervical cancer.
Methods: An analytical cross sectional study design was employed. Secondary
data from a Soul City study was used and all South African women aged 16 – 65
years who enrolled into the 2006 leg of the study were included. The data was
analysed using Stata 9 utilising logistic regression models.
Results: There were 1013 women aged between 16 and 65 years in this study
and the average age was 35 years. Most women lived in metropolitan areas
(53%), were employed (41%), had secondary education (74%) and had
knowledge about cervical cancer and Pap smear (>50%). Lack of knowledge
about cervical cancer and Pap smear was observed amongst rural residents
(>60%), illiterate women (>54%), and Black South African women (>54%).
Generally, participation in cervical screening was low among these women. The iv
majority of women had never been screened for cervical cancer in the past (49%)
as well as in the previous 12 months (79%). However, a higher proportion of
women aged 30 years and above had been for cervical screening test in the past
(59%). Although many women aged 30 years and above had been screened
sometime in the past, more than three quarters of them were not screened in the
last 12 months. Low uptake of Pap smear in 2006 was observed amongst rural
residents (6%), older women (9%), illiterate (4%), Coloured (20%) and Black
(20%) South African women. Overall knowledge about cervical cancer and Pap
smear was associated with exposure to Soul City educational programme on
cervical cancer through different media more especially television. Women who
watched Soul City on television were more likely to have knowledge about
cervical cancer (OR = 1.97, and 95% CI = (1.12; 3.47)) and Pap smear (OR =
2.08, and 95% CI = (1.24; 3.47)) than those who did not watch the programme.
Participation of women aged 30 years and above in cervical cancer screening in
2006 was not associated with exposure to the Soul City educational programme.
Conclusion: The study findings suggest that Soul City educational programme is
associated with knowledge about cervical cancer and Pap smear. There was no
evidence that exposure to Soul City educational programme was associated with
participation in cervical cancer screening in 2006.
Description
MSc(Med), Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2009
Keywords
cervical cancer, South African women