Abstract

Invasive cervical cancer is the second-most common cancer in women world-wide, 80% of these cases were discovered through records to be from developing countries Although it can be readily detected in the premalignant phase, cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer in Nigeria and fifth in the United Kingdom. The objective of this study is to determine awareness and perception affecting utilization of cervical cancer screening services awareness, perception and factors affecting utilization of cervical cancer screening services among nurses in Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The research was a descriptive and cross-sectional study conducted in Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria. The study showed a high level of perception 106 (59.9%) among the nurses within this study and the nurses that had positive perception only 8 (19.0%) had undergone cervical cancer screening in the past. Their knowledge of cervical cancer was not poor; 97.7% of the respondents have heard of cervical cancer screening as a form of cervical cancer prevention and 168 (94.9%) are familiar with the age range (between 16-65 years old) that are eligible to go for CCS, only 128 (72.3%) were aware of modern day CCS equipment under Oyo state hospital management board facilities. However only 16 (9.0%) have worked in CCS unit and only 8 (4.5%) had privileged to attend refresher course training to enhance their knowledge of CCS practice. The findings of this study show that majority of the Nurses at Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital though they are aware yet only few have undergone cervical cancer screening.