Lay knowledge of cervical cancer in Manhiça district, Mozambique: a qualitative study.
Cervical cancer
Lay perceptions
Mozambique
Sexual and reproductive health
Journal
Reproductive health
ISSN: 1742-4755
Titre abrégé: Reprod Health
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101224380
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
24 Aug 2020
24 Aug 2020
Historique:
received:
17
01
2019
accepted:
10
08
2020
entrez:
25
8
2020
pubmed:
25
8
2020
medline:
22
6
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Mozambique has one of the highest cervical cancer incidence rates in the world. Health interventions are still being conceived solely from a non-communicable disease standpoint despite that it is also a sexual and reproductive health problem. The objective of this study was to assess the extent to which lay perceptions of cervical cancer align with biomedical knowledge from the standpoint of sexual and reproductive health. 10 focus group discussions were carried out with 10 target groups in Manhiça. The target groups were diverse in terms of age, sex, educational level and occupation. There were a total of 116 participants. The focus groups discussions were applied to obtain verbal information and trigger debates around beliefs and attitudes about cervical cancer as well as to explore notions of transmission and aetiology of the disease. The discussions were recorded for later transcription and analysis, following a combination of content and thematic analysis. Participants were familiar with the biomedical term 'cervical cancer' but knowledge of its aetiology and transmission was limited. Cervical cancer was readily associated to sexual transmission and sexually transmitted infections, and conceived as a 'wound that does not heal'. The term 'cancer' caused confusion, as it was perceived to happen only in limbs, understood as hereditary, not transmissible and as an illness of the West. Lay perceptions of cervical cancer do, to a large extent, align with biomedical ones, thus, there is common ground to frame future health interventions from a sexual and reproductive health standpoint. Some misperceptions were identified which could be reduced through social behaviour change communication initiatives.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Mozambique has one of the highest cervical cancer incidence rates in the world. Health interventions are still being conceived solely from a non-communicable disease standpoint despite that it is also a sexual and reproductive health problem. The objective of this study was to assess the extent to which lay perceptions of cervical cancer align with biomedical knowledge from the standpoint of sexual and reproductive health.
METHODS
METHODS
10 focus group discussions were carried out with 10 target groups in Manhiça. The target groups were diverse in terms of age, sex, educational level and occupation. There were a total of 116 participants. The focus groups discussions were applied to obtain verbal information and trigger debates around beliefs and attitudes about cervical cancer as well as to explore notions of transmission and aetiology of the disease. The discussions were recorded for later transcription and analysis, following a combination of content and thematic analysis.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Participants were familiar with the biomedical term 'cervical cancer' but knowledge of its aetiology and transmission was limited. Cervical cancer was readily associated to sexual transmission and sexually transmitted infections, and conceived as a 'wound that does not heal'. The term 'cancer' caused confusion, as it was perceived to happen only in limbs, understood as hereditary, not transmissible and as an illness of the West.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Lay perceptions of cervical cancer do, to a large extent, align with biomedical ones, thus, there is common ground to frame future health interventions from a sexual and reproductive health standpoint. Some misperceptions were identified which could be reduced through social behaviour change communication initiatives.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32831101
doi: 10.1186/s12978-020-00980-1
pii: 10.1186/s12978-020-00980-1
pmc: PMC7444028
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
130Subventions
Organisme : Department for International Cooperation, Barcelona City Hall (ES)
ID : 12S05844
Organisme : Ramon y Cajal Grant (ES)
ID : RYC-2013-14512
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