CERVICAL CANCER AND ITS PREVENTION AMONG RURAL AND URBAN WOMEN

Abstract

Cervical cancer is a malignant disease caused by uncontrolled abnormal growth of cells in the cervix and is a major public health problem among women, particularly in low-resource settings. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) modules are effective educational strategies for improving knowledge and promoting prevention. The present study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of an IEC module on knowledge regarding cervical cancer and its prevention among rural and urban women in a selected area of Gorakhpur. The objectives were to assess pre-test and post-test knowledge levels, evaluate and compare the effectiveness of the IEC module among rural and urban women, and determine the association between post-test knowledge and selected demographic variables. A quantitative quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test comparative design was adopted. Sixty women (30 from Khatripura and 30 from Omkar Nagar) were selected using purposive sampling, and data were collected using a structured knowledge questionnaire. The findings revealed a significant improvement in knowledge following the IEC module. The paired t-test showed significant improvement among rural women (t = 4.60) and urban women (t = 7.67) at p < 0.05. The unpaired t-test (t = 3.24) indicated greater effectiveness of IECM among urban women. The study concluded that the IEC module was effective in improving knowledge regarding cervical cancer and its prevention.