Attitudes, knowledge and perceptions towards cervical cancer messages among female university students

• Main Author: Anne Nattembo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2018-01-01
• Series: Cogent Medicine
• Subjects: cancer communication; public health; risk communication; cervical cancer
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2018.1451427

This study focused on investigating awareness, attitudes and behavior among female university students towards cervical cancer messages. The study emanates from the view that limited effective communication contributes to the rise in cervical cancer prevalence. Thus the study objectives sought to investigate the communication behavior of young adults’ towards cervical cancer, to understand female students recognition of cervical cancer as a problem, to identify the gain and loss frames related to cervical cancer, cervical cancer communication behavior and to identify the factors that influence behavioral intentions towards cervical cancer services. The key findings show that the participants preferred to receive and access cervical cancer information from doctors although they were mainly receiving information through radio. The study also identified the constraints respondents face in responding to cervical cancer campaign calls-to action which included; stigma, lack of knowledge and access to services as well as lack of recommendation from doctors.