Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards prostate cancer screening amongst men in Zambezi region, Namibia

Prostate cancer is a major health issue worldwide, including the Zambezi Region of Namibia. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding screening of PCa among men in Zambezi region. A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive approach was used, with 391 men from all six constituencies of the Zambezi Region. Respondents were selected through a multi-stage sampling method, combining stratified random and cluster sampling. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire. The analysis employed descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and Chi square tests to examine the prevalence of various knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) indicators. On the other hand, inferential statistics was used to identify correlations between KAP and screening behaviors. The results showed that respondents had moderate knowledge of prostate cancer and a generally positive attitude (49.9%) toward screening. However, this knowledge and attitude did not appear to influence actual screening practices, which were low at just 4.1%. Statistical analysis (p-values of 0.927 of knowledge and 0.692 of attitudes) revealed no significant differences in knowledge and attitudes across constituencies. Additionally, the analysis showed no relationship between knowledge and screening practices and between attitudes and practices. However, there was a significant relationship between knowledge and attitudes. Education level was found to be significantly associated with knowledge, while other demographic factors showed no significant correlation. The study concluded that knowledge and attitudes alone do not significantly impact screening practices. It recommends further research into psychological factors influencing screening behavior, as well as a qualitative study to explore barriers to screening of PCa

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Namibia

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Buchane, Melody Namasiku

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Sheehama, Jacob

• Prostate cancer
• Knowledge
• Attitudes
• Practices
• Screening
• Men
• Namibia
• University of Namibia

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11070/4251

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.unam.edu.na:11070/4251