Assessment of Knowledge of Cervical Cancer Transmission and Prevention among the Mothers of Daughters Aged Below 10 Years

Introduction: Cervical Cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide. It is one of the few preventable human cancers. Maternal knowledge is required for vaccination of their adolescent girls because they are key decision makers and potentially a major source of information for their daughters. Bangladesh Government will introduce HPV vaccine under EPI program for adolescent girls aged 10 years from 2018. For this reason, it is important to assess the knowledge level of mothers of daughters aged below 10 years. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge of Cervical Cancer transmission, prevention and HPV vaccine among mothers of daughters aged below 10 years. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study has been conducted among the mothers of daughters aged below 10 years, live in the Mohakhali ‘Sat Tola' slum area of Dhaka city. The pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect information from the respondents by face to face interview at house-hold level. Questions were on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge about Cervical Cancer transmission, prevention and HPV vaccination. Convenient sampling technique was used to select the sample. The sample size was 100 in number. The total no. of questions on knowledge was 22. Knowledge score was divided into 3 categories: poor, average and good knowledge. Poor knowledge score was 0 to 7, average knowledge score was 8 to 14 and good knowledge score was 15 to 22. Frequency, percentage and mean was done by using SPSS version 21. Results: Majority (41%) respondents' age was 21 to 29 years, most (63%) of them were primary school educated, most (80%) of them were house-wife and most (43%) of their monthly family income was 11,000 to 15,000 taka. Respondent's mean age at marriage was 15 years and mean age was 17 years when their first child born, majority (39%) had two children. In total, 55% respondents had poor knowledge, 45% respondents had average knowledge and 2% respondents had good knowledge. Among them 98% respondents heard about cancer, 77% respondents heard about Cervical Cancer, 8% respondents knew about sign and symptom and only 2% respondents knew the causes of Cervical Cancer, 3% respondents told prevention of Cervical Cancer is possible but 12% respondents heard about VIA test. Around 18% respondents heard about HPV vaccine but nobody knew in which age this vaccine should be administered. Conclusion: The knowledge of Cervical Cancer transmission, prevention and HPV vaccination among mothers who live in slum of Dhaka city is poor. Providing knowledge to these mothers is essential