A Community Based Study of the Socio Demographic and Behavioural Risk factors for Cervical Cancer among Urban Women in Coastal Karnataka

Background: Cervical cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. India accounts for 27% of the total cervical cancer deaths. Objectives: 1.To assess the risk factors associated with cancer cervix among the study population. 2. To study socio de-mographic profile of the study population. Materials and Methods: A community based, cross sectional study was conducted by the department of Community Medicine, A J Institute of Medical Sciences, in the urban field practice area, Kavoor among married women in the reproductive age group of 15-49years from April 2011 to September 2011. Socio demographic details and risk factors for cervical cancer were assessed. Results: A total of 357 women in the reproductive age group participated in the study. More than two third (87.2%) of the study population belonged to the age group of 30 – 49 years. 52.7% of the respondents be-longed to class IV socio economic status and 22.1% of the respondents were married before the age of 18 years. In this study 14% had their first child before the age of 18 years and43.2% respondents had 3 or more than 3 children. Cervical erosion was found in 38.4% of the respondents. Conclusion: Various risk factors like early age at marriage, low socioeconomic status, and multi parity are present in the study population. Screening and early detection efforts can be directed to the group at risk.