Awareness about Female Cancers among Female Healthcare Workers and School Teachers in Tobruk, Libya: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Study

Background: Female cancers, such as breast, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers, are major global health issues due to their prevalence and the challenges in early detection and treatment, particularly in developing regions. This study investigates the awareness and attitudes toward female ca...

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Main Authors: Vinay Rao, Prasanna Lakshmi Rao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-01-01
Series:Journal of Public Health and Primary Care
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_3_25
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author Vinay Rao
Prasanna Lakshmi Rao
author_facet Vinay Rao
Prasanna Lakshmi Rao
author_sort Vinay Rao
collection DOAJ
description Background: Female cancers, such as breast, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers, are major global health issues due to their prevalence and the challenges in early detection and treatment, particularly in developing regions. This study investigates the awareness and attitudes toward female cancers among healthcare workers and school teachers in the city, with a focus on how literacy affects cervical cancer screening rates. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) study was conducted among working women in the city using a pretested close-ended self-administered questionnaire in the month of April 2024. Results: Significant differences in cancer KAP were observed between healthcare workers and schoolteachers. Healthcare workers had a higher awareness that obesity increases breast cancer risk (71% vs. 45%). Both groups showed a good understanding of the hereditary nature and mortality risk of breast cancer. Positive attitudes toward cancer prevention were common, yet actual preventive practices, such as human papillomavirus vaccination and monthly breast self-examinations, were low across all groups. Conclusions: The level of cancer awareness was fairly good among working women which reflected their educational status. Attitude and practice varied among the different occupations which did not correlate to educational level.
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spelling doaj-art-d90d18bc79e44a7891e827facf63d3bd2025-08-20T02:32:04ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Public Health and Primary Care2772-36662772-36742025-01-0161283210.4103/jphpc.jphpc_3_25Awareness about Female Cancers among Female Healthcare Workers and School Teachers in Tobruk, Libya: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice StudyVinay RaoPrasanna Lakshmi RaoBackground: Female cancers, such as breast, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers, are major global health issues due to their prevalence and the challenges in early detection and treatment, particularly in developing regions. This study investigates the awareness and attitudes toward female cancers among healthcare workers and school teachers in the city, with a focus on how literacy affects cervical cancer screening rates. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) study was conducted among working women in the city using a pretested close-ended self-administered questionnaire in the month of April 2024. Results: Significant differences in cancer KAP were observed between healthcare workers and schoolteachers. Healthcare workers had a higher awareness that obesity increases breast cancer risk (71% vs. 45%). Both groups showed a good understanding of the hereditary nature and mortality risk of breast cancer. Positive attitudes toward cancer prevention were common, yet actual preventive practices, such as human papillomavirus vaccination and monthly breast self-examinations, were low across all groups. Conclusions: The level of cancer awareness was fairly good among working women which reflected their educational status. Attitude and practice varied among the different occupations which did not correlate to educational level.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_3_25attitudebreast self-examinationcancer cervixknowledgepractice
spellingShingle Vinay Rao
Prasanna Lakshmi Rao
Awareness about Female Cancers among Female Healthcare Workers and School Teachers in Tobruk, Libya: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Study
Journal of Public Health and Primary Care
attitude
breast self-examination
cancer cervix
knowledge
practice
title Awareness about Female Cancers among Female Healthcare Workers and School Teachers in Tobruk, Libya: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Study
title_full Awareness about Female Cancers among Female Healthcare Workers and School Teachers in Tobruk, Libya: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Study
title_fullStr Awareness about Female Cancers among Female Healthcare Workers and School Teachers in Tobruk, Libya: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Study
title_full_unstemmed Awareness about Female Cancers among Female Healthcare Workers and School Teachers in Tobruk, Libya: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Study
title_short Awareness about Female Cancers among Female Healthcare Workers and School Teachers in Tobruk, Libya: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Study
title_sort awareness about female cancers among female healthcare workers and school teachers in tobruk libya a knowledge attitude and practice study
topic attitude
breast self-examination
cancer cervix
knowledge
practice
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_3_25
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AT prasannalakshmirao awarenessaboutfemalecancersamongfemalehealthcareworkersandschoolteachersintobruklibyaaknowledgeattitudeandpracticestudy