Prostate Cancer: Knowledge, Perception and Rate of Screening among Male Artisans in Nnewi-North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria

Background: Prostate cancer is the number one cancer in males in Africa, both in terms of incidence and mortality, being the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among men in Nigeria. It is of public health importance Objectives: To determine the knowledge, perception and the rate of screening of prostate cancer among male artisans in Nnewi-North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria. Method: This study was a descriptive-cross sectional study carried out among 220 male artisans aged 18 years and above. The respondents were recruited into the study using a multistage sampling technique. Stage 1: Selection of quarter in Nnewi: The four quarters in Nnewi were part of this study. This gave approximately 55 participants for each quarter. Stage 2: Selection of participants: The desired participants were selected using modified clusters sampling method. At the centre of each quarter, a bottle was spun to determine the direction to follow in clockwise for the participants. Where artisans are located were identified until the desired number of participants was recruited. The study tool was a researcher-administered questionnaire written in English language. The data was cleaned, coded and analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 25. Informed consent was obtained prior to administration of the questionnaire which emphasized the right to none participation. Confidentiality was maintained according to the Helsinki declaration of bioethics. Result: The mean age of the respondents was 39.78 ± 13.072 years, range of 18-75. Only 124 (56.4%) and 43 (19.5%) of the 220 respondents were aware of prostate cancer and prostate cancer screening respectively. Only 7 (3.2%) have ever screened for prostate cancer, however, 178 (80.9%) are willing to screen if made free. However, 184 (83.6%) perceived prostate cancer to be a serious disease. Conclusion: The level of knowledge regarding prostate cancer and its screening practices was poor. There was a significant association between educational level and prostate cancer knowledge, indicating that this factor significantly influences people’s knowledge, perceptions, and rates of screening for prostate cancer.