Perception and Acceptability of Self-sampling for Human Papillomavirus among Female Gynecology Clinic Attendees in a Tertiary Hospital in South-West Nigeria

Background & aim: Globally, cervical cancer mortality rates remain alarmingly high, emphasizing the significance of HPV as a cause and exacerbated by unequal access to effective prevention and treatment, a critical issue in middle-income countries.This study focused on the perception and acceptability of self-sampling for HPV among female attendees of gynaecology clinics. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among ۲۵۶ participants aged ۲۵–۶۵ years who regularly attended gynaecology clinics at a tertiary hospital in South West Nigeria in ۲۰۲۲. Participants were selected via simple random sampling and completed a semi-structured questionnaire on HPV self-sampling. The collected data were analysed using SPSS software version ۲۵, including an examination of associations via Fisher's exact test and logistic regression at a significance level of ۰.۰۵. Results: The participants had an average age of ۳۵.۸ ±۹.۷ years and were almost all literate (۹۸.۰%). The mean perception score was ۹.۴±۳.۱ (۷۴.۲%), with approximately one quarter (۲۵.۸%) having a negative perception. The mean acceptability score was ۹.۲±۱.۷ (۹۶.۵%).   Respondents with good HPV knowledge were ۵.۴ times more likely to have a positive perception than those with poor knowledge (OR = ۵.۳۶۱, p = ۰.۰۰۱, CI: ۲.۰۴۷–۱۴.۰۳۷). Conclusion: In this study, many participants had a positive perception, and almost all had a high level of acceptability. Poor perception and inadequate education on self-sampling were related to a low level of acceptability of HPV self-sampling, indicating the need for additional infrastructure and guidelines regarding cervical cancer screening.

کلیدواژه ها:

Human papillomavirus ، Cervical Cancer ، Cross sectional Study ، Nigeria