Affiliations: [a] Department of Medical Radiography and Radiological Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu State, Nigeria | [b] Department of Radiography and Radiological Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria | [c] Department of Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu State, Nigeria | [d] Department of Radiography, Faculty of Clinical Science, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Mark C. Okeji, Department of Medical Radiography and Radiological Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu State, Nigeria. Tel.: +234 8039472126; E-mail: [email protected]/[email protected].
Abstract: PURPOSE:To assess the attitude to and perception of transvaginal sonography (TVS) among Nigerian women of mixed educational status in order to ascertain factors that may prevent them from submitting to TVS when recommended. METHODS:A Cross-sectional survey was adopted for the study. Subjects were enrolled from one missionary, one government and eight private hospitals. The instruments for data collection were visual analogue scale (VAS), to ascertain patients’ pain/discomfort experience, and a researcher-developed semi-structured questionnaire. The level of pain/discomfort on the VAS was categorized into four on a scale of 100. The categories were: 0–5 (no pain), 6–40 (mild pain), 41–74 (moderate pain), and 75–100 (severe pain). RESULTS: The majority (50.6%) of the respondents who attained secondary education had positive attitude to TVS. The majority majority of the respondents (63.1%) preferred female sonographers. A majority of the respondents (54.1%) perceived TVS as not embarrassing, 78% did not consider it stressful, 96.9% reported that the sonographers were professional, 46.7% felt that a chaperon was needed, 98.4% reported there was enough privacy and 84.7% reported they needed prior information. Most of the respondents (82%) were willing to consent to TVS in future, 90.5% reported no pain, 8.6% reported mild pain/discomfort and 0.9% reported moderate pain. CONCLUSIONS:Majority of our respondents had a positive attitude to TVS and were willing to consent to TVS in future, hence it was acceptable to them. It was however observed that acceptability increased with increasing education.
