The awareness and practice of testicular self-examination among male undergraduates in Nigeria: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Testicular cancer is a relatively rare form of cancer but curable. In Nigeria, late presentation hinders treatment due to limited resources for diagnosis and treatment. Testicular self-examination enables men to identify the presence of lumps and any abnormality in their testes. This can facilitate early detection and presentation at hospitals. The purpose of this study was to examine the awareness and practice of testicular self-examination by students at a College of Health Sciences in a Nigerian university. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. The target population were second-sixth year students in the College of Health Sciences. The respondents were conveniently selected to complete a 38-item, self-administered questionnaire. The paper-based questionnaire was distributed to 280 respondents in classrooms and dormitories. Descriptive statistics (such as percentages and frequencies) were used to summarize the frequency of categorical data. Results Of the 277 respondents, only 53.4% (n = 148) have heard about testicular self-examination. The mean age was 20.6 (± 4.51) years. Out of the 148 respondents, only 11.6% practiced it regularly. For majority of the respondents, the barriers mitigating the practice of testicular self-examination are the fear of discovering a lump and lack of knowledge. Conclusion It is necessary for the importance of testicular self-examination to be emphasized in the training of nurses, medical doctors, and other healthcare professionals and its practice should be encouraged among health science students. This will equip these students with the knowledge and skills for their health and to educate their patients and the society on the relevance of testicular self-examination.

Intervene to Improve: Awareness of Testicular Self-Examination and Testicular Cancer Among Male Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan

“…There was no definitive knowledge about the prevalence of testicular cancer among various age groups in majority of the subjects under consideration, risk factors, early presentation, and tools for early prevention. All of these findings are consistent with previous literature on awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward TC [ 2 , 13 - 15 ].…”

“…Approximately, 65% of males interviewed did not know that TSE should be done in the shower or shortly after. Eighty-two percent of subjects in our study said that they had not heard about TC, likewise, other studies conducted in other regions showed similar low percentages [ 2 , 7 , 10 , 14 , 15 ]. There was no definitive knowledge about the prevalence of testicular cancer among various age groups in majority of the subjects under consideration, risk factors, early presentation, and tools for early prevention.…”

The effect of education given to university students on health beliefs and testicular self‐examination

“…3 Despite the fact that TC is a major hazard to health, it is well recognized that early diagnosis can result in improvements of up to 85%-90%, which lowers morbidity. 2,4 Although while certain kinds of TC are asymptomatic until an advanced stage, the majority of TC appear with a tiny lump that may be quickly found by a TSE before the illness has progressed. 5 TSE is a simple screening method that can assist identify abnormal changes in testis tissue and appearance.…”

“…5 TSE is a simple screening method that can assist identify abnormal changes in testis tissue and appearance. 4,6 For men over the age of 15, TSE is advised to be performed once per month. 6 There is evidence to suggest that men worldwide tend to have some basic knowledge of testicular cancer, but not about TSE.…”

“…1 Some studies claimed that individuals had strong understanding of TSE but never used it, 7,8 while others claimed that people had poor knowledge of TC and TSE and used insufficient amounts of TSE. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] These investigations, the most of which were centred on medical and nursing students, found that participants' reasons for not performing TSE included embarrassment, a feeling of incompetence and inadequacy, and disdain. 4 These studies advise using a variety of educational techniques to spread the word about the significance of TC and TSE.…”