Awareness and care seeking pattern for symptoms associated with endometrial carcinoma among postmenopausal women in the district of Colombo: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION

Variations in endometrial carcinoma awareness among postmenopausal women may explain the variations in care seeking pattern for symptoms associated with endometrial carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the awareness and care seeking pattern for symptoms associated with endometrial carcinoma among postmenopausal women in the district of Colomb

METHODS

A community based descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among 1168 postmenopausal women in the district of Colombo, using multistage cluster sampling technique. A pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire was used. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the awareness and care seeking pattern.

RESULTS

Of the sample, 83.6% (95% CI: 81.5-85.7, n=977) had heard about endometrial carcinoma. About 56% of women (n=654) were aware that postmenopausal bleeding was a suggestive symptom of endometrial carcinoma. Only 24.0% (n=280) knew that never conceived was a risk factor, 20.6% and 20.9% knew that physical inactivity and obesity were risk factors respectively and 28.0% knew that hormone replacement therapy was a risk factor, for endometrial carcinoma. Of the women, 26.6% (n=311) had experienced some gynaecological symptoms similar to symptoms of endometrial carcinoma during their postmenopausal period. Majority of them had disclosed to the children (n= 155, 49.8%) about the symptoms, 70.7% (n=220) had sought treatment, and the most common reason for seeking treatment was physical discomfort (n=83, 37.8%). A majority had gone to the government hospital (n=75, 34%) to get treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Low awareness of common symptoms, risk