How well do female healthcare professionals in Southern Nigeria know about Cervical cancer and use its screening services? A Cross-sectional survey.

Background: Cervical cancer is a leading cause of death globally and 9 in 10 cervical cancer-related deaths occur in low-middle-income countries. Female healthcare workers are vital to promote the awareness and uptake of screening services in the general population. This study sought to assess the level of knowledge of cervical cancer and determine the uptake of cervical cancer screening services (CCSS) amongst female healthcare professionals in Bayelsa State. Method: A cross-sectional study was done using semi-structured questionnaire on 178 female health care professionals selected by convenience sampling responsible for providing care across public facilities. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer; and uptake of CCSS as well as perceived barriers were obtained. Results: Mean age was 36.2 years. About 95% had good knowledge and the uptake of cervical cancer screening services (CCSS) was 28.1%. Pap smear was the most common CCSS (98.0%) done and only 1 respondent had the Human papilloma virus test. The commonest reason for not being screened was not knowing where to get tested (21.3%) and 23.3% had no reason for not being screened. Age, having children, marital status and number of years of practice(p-0.000) were associated with the uptake of CCSS. Conclusions: Despite the good level of knowledge of cervical cancer, the uptake of screening services remains poor. Further research, targeted training, education and interventions need to be developed to address the gaps in knowledge and access to cervical screening services of female healthcare professionals to consolidate efforts of eliminating cervical cancer.