Cervical Cancer Awareness and Preventive Behaviour among Female University Students in South Africa

Objectives: The objectives of this descriptive cross-sectional study were to assess the awareness about cervicalcancer and preventive behaviour of female first year Mangosuthu University of Technology students.
Methods:A total of 205 students were selected by stratified random sampling techniques.
Results: 40% of the studentswere currently sexually active and among them 28% reported having two or more sexual partners. A third(33%) of the participants heard about cervical cancer. Among them a third (32%) and over a quarter (26%)knew about the HPV virus and multiple sexual partners, respectively, as risk factors for cervical cancer.Participants were twice more likely to use condoms if they heard about cervical cancer (OR = 2.47, p = 0.003).Only 31% participants had heard about the Pap smear test, and among them a third (33%) knew that Papsmear is used for detection or prevention of cervical cancer.
Conclusion: University management shouldconcentrate on developing policies on health education and promotion particularly targeting preventable healthconditions to prevent transmission of the HPV virus.