Awareness, Beliefs and Attitude of Male University Students Towards Screening for Prostate Cancer in Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men worldwide and been a major public health issue worldwide. This study assessed the Awareness, beliefs and Attitude towards prostate cancer screening among male university students in Niger Delta University. A descriptive cross-sectional study used in multistage sampling technique to select 275 adult males. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used. Respondents mean age is 23.7years. Prostate cancer awareness was high as (77.1%); majority (77.8%) of respondents believes that prostate cancer screening is important unlike few (22.2%) who felt it is not important. The attitude towards prostate cancer screening established that majority of the respondents 85.1% felt that screening is a good practice. Government should increase awareness through the mass media, flyers, posters, and support health institutions in providing early screening for the disease. University health services in collaboration with the various groups and organisation in the University could make concerted efforts to promote regular and effective sensitisation programmes on prostate cancer for male students, and also male students over 40years should make concerted efforts to go for regular prostate cancer screening in order to facilitate early detection and effective treatment.