Knowledge Attitudes and Practices of Health Workers in the City of Ségou on Childhood Cancers

Abstract

Introduction: childhood cancers are rare and account for about 1% of all cancers. However, their severity, duration of treatment and long-term progression make them a major public health problem. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the Attitudes and Practices knowledge of health workers in the city of Ségou on childhood cancers. Methodology: this is a cross-sectional descriptive epidemiological study of health workers in the city of Ségou. Result: three hundred and ten health workers from the city of Ségou responded to our questionnaire, including 32 general practitioners, 31 specialist doctors, 32 medical assistants, 41 second-cycle nurses,88 undergraduate nurses 44 nursing assistants and Matrons 13 laboratory technicians 29 midwives Health workers who report child cancer as a malignant disease accounted for 55.16%. In our study, 73.5% of health workers report not having suspected or diagnosed childhood cancer during their career; 75% have never participated in the care of a child with cancer during their career. Conclusion: the field of pediatric oncology is unknown to health workers in the city of Ségou, as the first contacts when symptoms may suggest cancer. The discipline is not taught much in the training curriculum of health workers in Mali.

Keywords: cancers- child- Ségou health workers