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 cervical cancer 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 students were 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 Pap smear is used for detection or prevention of cervical cancer.

Conclusion: University management should concentrate on developing policies on health education and promotion particularly targeting preventable health conditions to prevent transmission of the HPV virus.