Effect of girls' education on cancer awareness and screening in a natural experiment in Lesotho.

ABSTRACT: Breast and cervical cancers are important causes of disability and premature death among women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Previous research has linked girls' education to cancer service access. Here, we examine the causal effect of girls' educational attainment on cancer screening practices by means of a natural experiment in Lesotho. In particular, we exploit variation in educational attainment among women that was introduced by an educational policy (a school-entry age cut-off). Data on awareness towards breast cancer, knowledge of Pap smear, breast self-exam, breast clinical exam, and having received a Pap smear is extracted from the Lesotho Demographic and Health Surveys 2009-10 and 2014 (N = 7971). Each additional year of schooling caused by the education policy increases awareness of bre

SUBMITTER: Liao J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12009962 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature