Knowledge and Attitudes of Cervical Cancer Prevention among Women of Reproductive Age in Tertiary Institutions in Osun State, Nigeria

Background Cervical cancer remains a major public health concern among women in Nigeria, particularly due to low awareness, cultural misconceptions, and inadequate utilization of preventive measures. Understanding knowledge and attitudes among young women is essential to informing targeted interventions. Objective This study assessed the knowledge and attitudes towards cervical cancer prevention among female undergraduates in tertiary institutions in Osun State, Nigeria. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional design was utilized, involving 396 female undergraduate students selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire and analysed with SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics summarized knowledge and attitude levels, while Chi-square tests examined associations between variables, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results The mean age of respondents was 25.3 ± 8.2 years. More than half (61.6%) had heard of HPV, while 50.0% were aware of the HPV vaccine. Overall, 52.0% demonstrated good knowledge, whereas 48.0% had low knowledge of cervical cancer prevention. Regarding attitudes, 52.0% of respondents expressed negative attitudes, while 48.0% had positive attitudes. Chi-square analysis showed no statistically significant association between knowledge and attitude towards cervical cancer prevention (χ² = 2.537, p = 0.121). Similarly, there was no significant association between attitude and the preventive orientation (χ² = 0.025, p = 0.905). Conclusion Despite moderate awareness, negative attitudes toward cervical cancer prevention remain prevalent. Strengthening institutional health education, correcting misconceptions, and promoting HPV vaccination and screening uptake are essential to improving preventive behaviours.