Introduction
Community-based health education boosts the knowledge of women on cervical cancer, its signs, and symptoms, and improves their cervical cancer treatment uptake (Kolander et al., 2013). Through awareness, women will be able to understand the life of the diseases and the control measures that should be put in place to eradicate the infection. Women who have prior knowledge of cervical cancer, tend to take cervical screening services frequently as compared to those without knowledge of the disease.
The life expectancy of women typically exceeds that of men worldwide. In 46 nations in 2011, women’s life expectancy at birth exceeded 80 years, however, in the WHO African Region, it was just 58 years (Fouly & Hassen, 2020). Boys are much less likely than girls to experience sexual abuse.
Adolescent females die most frequently from automobile accidents in high- and upper-middle-income nations. The estimated 287 000 maternal fatalities per year, or nearly all (99%), take place in underdeveloped nations (Fouly & Hassen, 2020).
Maternal Health
The health of women throughout pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period is referred to as maternal health. To ensure that pregnant women achieve their maximum potential for health and well-being while maintaining the proper health of the fetus, each stage should be enjoyable. Despite significant advancement over the past 20 years, 30 000 women died during or after pregnancy and delivery in 2017. This amount is just too high (Fouly & Hassen, 2020).
The elimination of unnecessary maternal deaths must continue to be a key priority for the world (Penson, 2018). However, merely making it through pregnancy and delivery cannot serve as a benchmark for effective maternal health care.
Cervical Cancer
When cancer starts at the cervix it is referred to as cervical cancer. The cervix extends and connects the birth canal to the uterus (upper part of the womb). Every woman is at a risk of getting cancer of the cervix and it normally occurs in women at the age of above thirty years.
The majority of women die from the disease as a result of ignorance and poor screening process at cancer centers. The main cause of cancer in women is prolonged infection with some types of HPV (Fouly & Hassen, 2020).
Risk Factors of Cervical Cancer
The majority of cancers occur in people without any recognized risk factors, even though doctors have a notion of what may enhance your chance of developing cancer. Some elements that are known to raise your risk of cancer include lack of regular cervical screening, age, weird sexual behaviors, getting into early marriage, and having multiple sexual partners (Kolander et al., 2013). It is well-recognized that several lifestyle decisions raise your chance of developing cancer.
The cervical cancer mortality rate is high in women. The American cancer society projected that by 2025, there will be more than 2 million women suffering from cancer in the United States of America (Fouly & Hassen, 2020). Most women who are suffering from this disease are from developing countries where the cost of living is high and there are poor health care services. The relevant health body states could assist in reducing the rate of getting cervix cancer by offering regular screening and providing early treatment on time (Penson, 2018).
Causes of Cervical Cancer
Scientists have discovered that there is no single cause of cervical cancer. They believe that the interaction of several factors together caused cancer cells. The factors causing cervical cancer can be environmental, genetic, or at times caused by the genetic constitutional characteristics of a person. Additionally, HPV is claimed to be the major cause of cervical cancer. HPV has been classified into three district types by the World Health Organization and these include; Carcinogenic (HPV types 16 and 18), Probably carcinogenic (HPV types 31 and 33), and possibly carcinogenic (other HPV types excerpt 6 and 11) (Penson, 2018).
From the cancer tests and screenings done, it was found that no. 16 is prevalent among all types of cancer. Out of the total samples collected, approximately of 82% tested with type 16 (Fouly & Hassen, 2020). This kind of cancer affects the entire birth canal unlike type 18 that only affects the endocervical gland. Another type of cervical cancer that is very common after type 16 is 35 (Penson, 2018).
Prevention of Cervical Cancer
Smoking is associated with more cancers than simply lung cancer. You can lower your future chance of developing cancer by giving up now. The sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation might raise one’s chance of developing skin cancer. Reduce your exposure to the sun by seeking out shade, using sunscreen, or donning protective gear. Obesity or being overweight may raise your chance of developing cancer (Fouly & Hassen, 2020). By combining a nutritious diet with regular exercise, work to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
Encouraging the Target Audience to Take Action
Presently, it is vital to promote the importance of awareness regarding the issue of cervical cancer in the target population. Specifically, it is necessary to empower women and girls to seek active health education and support from healthcare experts. Thus, the importance of regular tests, including pap smears, must be explained to the specified demographic. Specifically, healthcare experts and nurses must prompt active communication between women and healthcare practitioners, gynecologists, and endocrinologists. Thus, active education must be promoted. Specifically, women and girls must be provided with core information about the means of preventing cancer and the strategies for identifying the relevant risk and threats at the earliest stage possible. Thus, fatal outcomes in women can be prevented successfully.
Raising Public Awareness
To build awareness on the subject matter, the use of social networks and similar digital tools will have to be considered. Specifically, the platforms in question will b utilized to build awareness and promote active education among women and girls. The specified step will allow the elimination of the damaging effects of misinformation that are currently present in the digital context. Similarly, the proposed solution will encourage the promotion of health education among the target population. As a result, women will be able to identify key threats to their health and require the necessary screening. Consequently, instances of cervical cancer will be identified and prevented successfully. Furthermore, essential interventions will be administered to the population at risk so that cervical cancer could be addressed accordingly at the earliest stages before it reaches the metastatic stage.
Conclusion
Even while not all cancers are unpleasant, pain can nonetheless be brought on by the disease or its treatment. Pain brought on by cancer can be adequately managed with medications and other methods. A sense of being out of breath might be brought on by cancer or cancer treatments (Allen et al. 2019).
References
Allen, E. M., Lee, H. Y., Pratt, R., Vang, H., Desai, J. R., Dube, A., & Lightfoot, E. (2019). Facilitators and barriers of cervical cancer screening and human papilloma virus vaccination among Somali refugee women in the United States: a qualitative analysis. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 30(1), 55-63.
Chan, C. K., Aimagambetova, G., Ukybassova, T., Kongrtay, K., & Azizan, A. (2019). Human papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer: epidemiology, screening, and vaccination—review of current perspectives. Journal of oncology, 2019.
Fouly, H., & Hassen, S. (2020). Differences between the young and older married women regarding their knowledge and beliefs about cervical cancer running title: Women’s perspectives of cervical cancer. Egyptian Journal of Health Care, 11(4), 657-669. Web.