Information, education, and communication as a strategy for enhancing knowledge of cervical cancer among women in Benin city, Nigeria

Background: In Nigeria, approximately 80% of women who develop cervical cancer (CC) die annually from the disease. In Benin City, it is the most common type of cancer, accounting for 74.6% of gynecological admissions. The high incidence and death rate of CC are attributable to a lack of knowledge of the disease. Consequently, this study aims to determine the effects of information, education, and communication (IEC) as a strategy for enhancing CC knowledge among women. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study utilized a multi-stage sampling procedure. First, Egor Local Government Area (LGA) was selected out of five LGAs in Benin City by balloting. Second, two health centers, Egor and Evbuotubu, were randomly assigned to the experimental group (EG) and control group (CG), respectively. Third, 200 participants per group were selected using a systematic sampling technique. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, logistic regression, and repeated analysis of variance at α 0.05. Results: The mean ages of the participants were 38.4 ± 8.0 (EG) and 34.5 ± 8.0 (CG) years. There were no significant differences in age (P = 0.17), educational status (P = 0.18), and occupation (P = 0.43) between the two groups. The participants' knowledge at P1 for the EG (6.3 ± 4.6) was comparable with the CG (8.3 ± 5.4). At P2 and P3, knowledge scores increased significantly in the EG (17.9 ± 2.2; 15.4 ± 3.2, respectively) compared with the CG (8.5 ± 4.9; 8.4 ± 5.4, respectively). Comparisons of P1, P2, and P3 in the EG revealed significant differences in mean scores. Conclusion: An IEC strategy increased knowledge of CC. Therefore, we strongly recommend integrating this approach into public health education strategies for women at primary and secondary health-care centers.