Knowledge, attitude and practice of paramedic students in the third year in toliara city (madagascar) on cervical cancer

Introduction: Cervical cancer affects many African women, particularly in younger women. It is however preventable if it is detected early. Better knowledge by health personnel, especially paramedics being the first responsible in rural areas, on the prevention of this cancer would reduce its frequency. The aim was to assess the knowledge, the attitude and the practice of paramedic students in the third year on cervical cancer. Method: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study, Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) survey on May 3, 2017 in Toliara city. The study population was female student midwives and nurses in the third year of training. Included were the institutions which accepted the survey request and the female students who were registered, present during our visit, and consenting to the survey. Results: The survey involved 169 female students, 132 from private institutions and 37 from public institutions. Fifteen percent of students had good general knowledge about cervical cancer. Eleven percent of female students had found more than three risk factors for cervical cancer. One hundred and nine students (64%) were aware of HPV vaccine. One-third of the students knew that Pap smear is a means of screening for cervical cancer. Regarding their attitudes, 78% of students thought they would have to screen for cervical cancer. About their practice, 14% of them had already made a screening. Conclusion: KAP of paramedic students on cervical cancer remain insufficient. Trainers should adapt their teaching with the new Bachelor, Master and Doctorate system with a focus on prevention, to have qualified paramedics.