Role of the obstetric nurse in the Anhanguera community, Campo Grande (MS) , in the prevention of cervical cancer
de Freitas, S.L.; Arantes, S.L.; de Barros, S.M.
Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem 6(2): 57-64
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0104-1169 PMID: 9668895 Document Number: 525139
In the community of Anhanguera, a poor neighborhood of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, a cross-sectional study was carried out in May 1995 dealing with the prevention of cervical cancer. 104 out of 142 women living in the community were enrolled, and semistructured questionnaires containing questions concerning demographic, sociocultural, obstetrical, gynecological information and diagnosis were administered. Second-year nursing school students made the home visits and collected the data. A 1995 analysis showed that in the previous 10 years there had been a steady increase of deaths due to cervical cancer in this state, especially among women aged 50 years and older owing to difficulty of access to prevention programs or the lack thereof in basic health units and nonutilization of such services by women at risk. Most women studied were in reproductive age, with little or no education, and a steady partner. There was a high percentage of multiparas (38.46%), 79.25% of deliveries were normal, and 20.75% were by cesarean section. 94.66% of newborn infants were breast-fed and 73.39% were breast-fed for 6 months or more. 23.08% of the women did not know about cervical cancer prevention programs and only 50% reported that they had made a visit for preventive examination at least once. 77.88% of the women had gynecological complaints (amount of menstrual flow, vaginal discharge, dysmenorrhea, lower abdominal pain, menstrual irregularity, and vulvar itching), but only 37.04% obtained medical help.