The Researcher’s Journal (TRJ) Vol 7, No.2, pp 56 – 82; June, 2025
Health Education and Cancer Mitigation among Female Tertiary Institution Students: The University of Calabar Perspective
1*Julius O. Phillip., 2Iquo O. Phillip, 1Eunice K. Israel. & 3Edem L.
Uduak
1Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar,
Nigeria
2Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (ROC)
3Animal Genomics and Bioresource Research Unit, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University,
Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
Corresponding author: Julius Oyohosuho Phillip
julzphillip@gmail.com; juliusphillip@unical.edu.ng
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0418-9803; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0312-2137
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5715-9825, https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3154-7116
Breast cancer remains a significant public health concern, with early detection playing a crucial role in improving outcomes. This study investigated the impact of health education on breast cancer awareness and screening utilization among female undergraduates at the University of Calabar, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the role of health education in cancer mitigation among female tertiary education students in the University of Calabar. A total of 500 female students were randomly sampled in a multistage sampling method in 10 faculties and one department from each and 50 respondents selected using convenience sampling technique. Bluman’s method allows for unbiased selection of respondents. A semi-structured questionnaire was used and the data collected analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. The results revealed that while 89.6 % of respondents had heard of breast cancer, only 31 % knew its causes. Breast cancer screening utilization was extremely low at 0.6 %. Key barriers to screening included high cost (71.8 %), lack of available services (72 %), and fear of stigmatization (70 %). Only 14.4 % of respondents participated in breast cancer awareness health education programs. Despite fair general awareness, there is poor utilization of breast cancer screening services and limited participation in health education programs among female undergraduates. There is the heightened need for targeted interventions to improve breast cancer knowledge, address barriers to screening, and increase health education program participation. Specific actions include implementing comprehensive health education initiatives, improving accessibility of screening services, addressing cost barriers, and conducting further research to develop effective strategies for increasing breast cancer awareness and screening utilization.
Keywords: Breast cancer awareness, health education, screening utilization, female undergraduates, barriers to screening, Nigeria.