Promoters of and barriers to cervical cancer screening in a rural setting in Tanzania

Barriers to cervical cancer screening in Africa: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Africa has one of the highest burdens of cervical cancer in the world. The unacceptably high incidence and mortality rates could be reduced through implementing a comprehensive approach to its prevention and control that includes screening, which however, is low in most low-and-middle-income countries. Hence, this systematic review aims at exploring factors that prevent women from utilising cervical cancer screening services in the region.

METHODS

A mixed method systematic review was conducted. A search was performed on PubMed (Medline), EMBASE, CINAHL (EBSCOHOST) and Scopus databases for articles published until May 2019 without time, language or study design limits. Two reviewers critically appraised the included studies independently using the standard quality assessment criteria for evaluating primary research papers. Results of the quantitative and mixed methods studies were transformed into qualitative data and synthesised using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

From a potential 2 365 studies, 24 from 11 countries met the eligibility criteria and were selected; eight qualitative, 13 quantitative, and three that used the mixed-method approach. The primary barriers were identified as poor access to screening services, lack of awareness and knowledge on cervical cancer and screening, and socio-cultural influences. Service providers perceived lack of skills, screening equipment and supplies, and staff shortages as the major barriers to the provision of screening services.

CONCLUSION

Barriers to cervical cancer screening in Africa are multifaceted and require a holistic approach that will address them concurrently at the health system, individual, interpersonal, community and structural levels. Political will complimented by stakeholder involvement is required in the development and implementation of strategies that will ensure acceptability, availability, accessibility, and affordability of screening to minimise barriers in accessing the service.

Outcomes from 8 years of cervical cancer screening at a rural screen-and-treat site in northern Tanzania

OBJECTIVE

To examine screening outcomes for a rural screen-and-treat site as well as the referral completion rate, outreach programming, and screening costs.

METHODS

A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of demographic information and screening outcomes for all women screened at a rural screen-and-treat site between August 2011 and December 2018 was conducted. Referral completion rate for women with suspected cervical cancer was calculated for 2018.

RESULTS

A total of 10 157 screenings were conducted during the study period. Median age was 35 years and median parity was 5. In all, 545 (5.35%) women were positive on visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA+), and 461 (91.1%) of 506 eligible women received cryotherapy. In 2018, 93 women were referred for suspected cancer to the zonal referral center, but only 10 (10.8%) presented for treatment. Mean screening cost was US$ 6.62 per person.

CONCLUSION

VIA+ rate was comparable to rates at urban sites in Tanzania, and outreach was an important component of screening. In contrast to other reports, few women suspected of having cancer reached treatment after being referred. Although the low cost of screening highlights the feasibility of rural screen-and-treat sites, additional research is needed to improve completion of referrals to a higher level of care.

Access to Health Services Among Forced Migrants in Tanzania: A Cluster Randomized Cross Sectional Study of 3560 Congolese and Burundian Refugees

Despite significant advances in the understanding of the global burden of surgical disease, limited research focuses on access to health and surgical services among refugees, especially in east Africa. The goal of this study was to describe patterns of access to transportation to health services among Congolese and Burundian refugees in Tanzania. We utilized cluster random sampling to perform a large, cross-sectional study in Nyarugusu refugee camp, Tanzania using an adapted version of the Surgeon Overseas Assessment Tool (SOSAS). We randomly selected 132 clusters out of 1472 clusters, randomly selected two people from all households in those clusters. Data analysis was performed in STATA (Stata Version 16, College Station, TX). A total of 3560 participants were included in the study including 1863 Congolese refugees and 1697 Burundian refugees. The majority of refugees reported they were generally healthy (n = 2792, 79.3%). The most common period of waiting to be seen at the health center was between three and 5 h (n = 1502, 45.8%), and over half of all refugees waited between 3 and 12 h to be seen. There was heterogeneity in other intra-camp referral networks (e.g. to and from traditional healer and hospital). Finally, a low percentage (3%) of participants reported leaving the refugee camp to seek health care elsewhere, and Congolese refugees were more likely to pursue self-referral in this manner. To our knowledge, this is the largest study focused on access to transportation among refugees in Tanzania and sub-Saharan Africa. Most participants reported financial difficulty always affording transportation costs with significant wait times occurring once arrived at the hospital. Our study does suggest that some independent health care seeking did occur outside of the camp-based services. Future research may focus more specifically on barriers to timely servicing of patients and patterns of self-referral.Please confirm if the author names are presented accurately and in the correct sequence (given name, middle name/initial, family name). Author 1 Given name: [Zachary Obinna] Last Name [Enumah] and Author 2 Given name: [Mohamed Yunus] Last Name [Rafiq]. Also, kindly confirm the details in the metadata are correct.Confirmed.

Educational Interventions to Promote Cervical Cancer Screening among Rural Populations: A Systematic Review

The urban-rural gap in cervical cancer screening uptake is a significant public health consideration. Educational interventions are commonly adopted to promote cervical cancer screening among females in rural areas; however, the characteristics and effectiveness of these educational interventions remain unclear. In this review, we aimed to identify the characteristics of educational interventions used in rural populations and to evaluate the effects of these interventions on cervical cancer screening-related outcomes. Seven English databases were searched in January 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies were included. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist for Randomized Controlled Trials and the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Quasi-Experimental Studies were used for quality appraisal. RevMan 5.4 software was used for the meta-analysis. A narrative synthesis was conducted in instances where a meta-analysis was inappropriate. Three RCTs and seven quasi-experimental studies conducted in six countries were included. A social cognitive theory-based framework, the community setting, group sessions, healthcare professional-led approaches, and culture-tailored materials were implemented in the educational interventions for cervical cancer screening. The educational content mainly included basic information on cervical cancer screening, psychological issues, barriers and strategies to overcome them, and locally available resources. Educational interventions increased the knowledge and uptake of cervical cancer screening in the rural population. However, the studies only evaluated the short-term effects of these educational interventions, with the cervical screening behavior only being assessed in one instance for each participant. Educational interventions promote cervical cancer screening among females in rural areas. Theory-driven, community-involved, group-based, and healthcare professional-led approaches should be prioritized in the application of educational interventions in rural populations. Both the short- and long-term, influences of educational interventions on the cervical cancer screening behavior of females in rural areas need to be recognized.

Uptake and correlates of cervical cancer screening among women attending a community-based multi-disease health campaign in Kenya

INTRODUCTION

Despite the increased risk of cervical cancer among HIV-positive women, many HIV-care programs do not offer integrated cervical cancer screening. Incorporating self-collected Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing into HIV programs is a potential strategy to identify women at higher risk for cervical cancer while leveraging the staffing, infrastructure and referral systems for existing services. Community-based HIV and HPV testing has been effective and efficient when offered in single-disease settings.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted within a community outreach and multi-disease screening campaigns organized by the Family AIDS Care and Education Services in Kisumu County, Kenya. In addition to HIV testing, the campaigns provided screening for TB, malaria, hypertension, diabetes, and referrals for voluntary medical male circumcision. After these services, women aged 25-65 were offered self-collected HPV testing. Rates and predictors of cervical cancer screening uptake and of HPV positivity were analyzed using tabular analysis and Fisher's Exact Test. Logistic regression was performed to explore multivariate associations with screening uptake.

RESULTS

Among the 2016 women of screening age who attended the outreach campaigns, 749 women (35.6%) were screened, and 134 women (18.7%) were HPV-positive. In bivariate analysis, women who had no children (p < 0.01), who were not pregnant (p < 0.01), who were using contraceptives (p < 0.01), who had sex without using condoms (p < 0.05), and who were encouraged by a family member other than their spouse (p < 0.01), were more likely to undergo screening. On multivariable analysis, characteristics associated with higher screening uptake included: women aged 45-54 (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.05-2.52) compared to women aged 25-34; no children (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.06-2.56); and family support other than their spouse (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.09-2.16). Women who were pregnant were 0.44 times (95% CI 0.25-0.76) less likely to get screened. Bivariate analyses with participant characteristics and HPV positivity found that women who screened HPV-positive were more likely to be HIV-positive (p < 0.001) and single (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The low screening uptake may be attributed to implementation challenges including long waiting times for service at the campaign and delays in procuring HPV test kits. However, given the potential benefits of integrating HPV testing into HIV outreach campaigns, these challenges should be examined to develop more effective multi-disease outreach interventions.

Breast Cancer Screening in Low-Income Countries: A New Program for Downstaging Breast Cancer in Tanzania

Background. Most breast cancer diagnoses in Tanzania are in advanced stages. The Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) established a new breast cancer screening program in 2014 to reduce advanced-stage diagnoses. This study is aimed at describing the screening program’s referral process and at identifying patient and health system factors that contribute to patients completing diagnostic testing referrals. Methods. Six-hundred and forty patients were included in the study. Testing types, outcomes, and date of diagnostic results were abstracted from records at ORCI and Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) to determine the proportion of testing completed and the duration between initial referrals and diagnostic tests. Prediction of completion of diagnostic testing was investigated in logistic regression. Results. Of the patients who received referrals for further testing, fifty-two percent completed the recommended ultrasound (USS), mammography (MMG), and fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Only 33.0% of patients completed the recommended MMG referrals compared to 55.0% for ultrasound and 68.7% for FNAC. The average number of days between initial screening and results was 42 days for MMG, 20 days for USS, and 18 days for FNAC. Significant predictors for completing referrals for USS, FNAC, and MMG included $\text{age}<44$ and >55 years, presenting with symptoms at the initial appointment, and education. The odds of completing an USS was 3.03 (95% CI, 1.65-5.64) for patients 25–34, 2.27 (95% CI, 1.17-4.48) for patients 35–44, and 4.41 (95% CI, 1.66-10.11) for patients older than 55 years compared to the reference group (age 19–24). The presence of symptoms at the initial appointment was a significant predictor of FNAC. The odds of completing an FNAC was 1.55 (95% CI, 1.02-3.72) for symptomatic compared to nonsymptomatic patients. Education was a significant predictor of MMG. The odds of receiving MMG was 4.29 (95% CI, 1.05-21.00) for patients with tertiary education or higher compared to primary education or lower. Possession of health insurance for treatment and living in Dar es Salaam were not significant predictors. Discussion. Future research should focus on patients’ understanding of recommended referrals and factors that influence decision-making. Investigating the cost effectiveness of scaling up screening programs and setting up a patient navigation program that follow patients as they complete the recommended treatment plan will be crucial for Tanzania and other developing countries as they seek to launch and strengthen screening programs.

The Effect of Peer-Led Navigation Approach as a Form of Task Shifting in Promoting Cervical Cancer Screening Knowledge, Intention, and Practices Among Urban Women in Tanzania: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Even though the government's priorities in preventing cervical cancer are implemented in urban areas, the screening rate remains unsatisfactory at 6%, compared to 70% recommended by the world health organization. The ongoing public health education has not resulted in sufficient screening rates. The study aims to assess peer-led navigation (PLNav) in promoting cervical cancer screening knowledge, intention, and practices among urban women in Tanzania. Since PLNav is the form of task shifting, it involves delegating cervical-cancer-related tasks from healthcare professionals to community health workers (CHWs).

METHODS

It is a community-based randomized controlled trial conducted in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania March-Sept 2020. The PLNav involved the CHWs delivering health education, counselling and navigation assistance to community women (COMW). The CHWs help women who have never undergone cervical cancer screening (CCS) and those who have undergone CCS but with a precancerous cervical lesion to overcome screening barriers. The data related to PLNav were analyzed by descriptive statistics, an independent-samples t-test, repeated measures ANOVA and linear regression.

RESULTS

The repeated measures ANOVA across time showed that PLNav intervention on mean knowledge score changes was statistically significant in the intervention group compared with the control group's usual care, [F (1, 43) = 56.9, P < .001]. At the six-month follow-up, 32 (72.7%) out of 44 participants from the intervention group had screened for cervical cancer, and only one participant (2.3%) from the control group screened. The PLNav intervention on CCS uptake changes was statistically significant in the intervention group compared with usual care in the control group [F (1, 43) = 100.4, P < .001]. The effect of time on CCS uptake in the intervention and control groups was statistically significant [F (1.64, 70.62) = 73.4, P < .001].

CONCLUSION

Peer-led navigation (PLNav) was effective in promoting cervical cancer screening knowledge, intention, and uptake.

Expression analysis of p16 and TOP2A protein biomarkers in cervical cancer lesions and their correlation with clinico-histopathological characteristics in a referral hospital, Tanzania

Introduction

Biomarkers yield important information for early diagnosis of cervical cancer. However, they are rarely applied for prognosis of cervical cancer in Tanzania, where visual inspection assay with acetic acid or Lugol’s iodine and Pap test are being used as the standard screening/ diagnostic methods.

Methods

This was a retrospective hospital-based cross-sectional study that was conducted to assess cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (p16) and topoisomerase II-alpha (TOP2A) proteins expression among women seeking cervical cancer care at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Tanzania between May 1, 2017 and May 10, 2018. Immunohistochemistry technique was used to detect the expressions of p16 and TOP2A proteins from the retrieved formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cervical biopsies.

Results

A total of 145 patients, with a mean age of 52.1 ± 12.9 years, were included in this study. Upon immunohistochemistry staining, 103 (71.0%) and 90 (62.1%) were p16 and TOP2A positive respectively. There was a strong association between histopathological class and p16/TOP2A expression levels (Fisher’s exact test, p<0.001). Moreover, there was a strong positive correlation between p16/TOP2A and cancerous cervical lesions (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients = 0.833 and 0.687, p = 0.006 and 0.005, respectively). The age-adjusted odds ratio for predicting cervical cancer lesions were independently significant for p16/TOP2A biomarkers in FFPE cervical tissues [p16: OR = 1.142 (95% CI: 1.059–1.232, p<0.001) and TOP2A: OR = 1.046 (95% CI: 1.008–1.085, p = 0.015)]. Importantly, the diagnostic performance of p16 was higher than that of TOP2A in the diagnosis of cancerous lesions from non-cancerous cervical lesions (sensitivity: 97.2% versus 77.6%, accuracy: 92.8% versus 87.8%, respectively).

Conclusion

Our study has highlighted that over-expression of TOP2A is related to the grade of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia but does not predict prognosis in cervical cancer. Similarly, expression of p16 is related to degree of histological dysplasia and malignancy, suggesting its prognostic and predictive value in the management of cervical cancers. Further bigger studies are needed to validate their applications in the early diagnosis of cervical cancer.

Tanzanian women´s knowledge about Cervical Cancer and HPV and their prevalence of positive VIA cervical screening results. Data from a Prevention and Awareness Campaign in Northern Tanzania, 2017 - 2019

Background: 14.9 million women (≥15 years) in Tanzania are at risk of developing cervical cancer.

Limited cancer care facilities, prevention programs and sparse knowledge among community members and healthcare workers contribute to late-stage presentation leading to a high mortality rate.

Objective: This study aims to scientifically accompany prevention and awareness campaigns (PrevACamp) in northern Tanzania in its real-world settings to obtain (1) a better understanding about cervical cancer and HPV knowledge amongst female PrevACamp participants and (2) to determine the prevalence of pre-cancerous lesions among women undergoing cervical cancer VIA screening.

Method: Cross-sectional survey among PrevACamp attendees in two regions in Northern Tanzania. Two data collections tools were used: Questionnaires and clinical data from VIA screening. Data were collected from October 2017 to March 2019.

Results: 2,192 PrevACamp attendees were interviewed and 2,224 received VIA screening. There was significant nescience on cervical cancer regardless of education level, resident status, or number of children as well as nescience on HPV in all age groups, especially in urban areas and misconceptions about cancer. Screening revealed VIA positivity rate of 3.1%.

Conclusion: There is an alarming lack of knowledge about cervical cancer and, to a lesser Extent, about HPV among the study participants. Having health insurance influenced the level of knowledge significantly. Outreach programs in rural areas appear to target the population in need of health education. Low positive VIA screening results are paralleled with lower HIV rates among the women. We assume that the high density of primary health care coverage in northern Tanzania contributes to these findings..

Fundamental Elements in Training Patient Navigators and Their Involvement in Promoting Public Cervical Cancer Screening Knowledge and Practices: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer screening remains unsatisfactory in some regions due to hindrances. This study aims to explore fundamental elements in training patient navigators and their involvement in promoting screening knowledge and practices.

METHODS

This systematic review study included only English published articles between 2014 and 2019 from PubMed/Medline, EBSCO, Science Direct, and Wiley online library.

RESULTS

Healthcare professionals trained patient navigators in 3 days regarding screening basics, along with group discussions and role-plays. They delivered effective health education and navigation assistance.

CONCLUSION

The group education session facilitated by patient navigators, coupled with navigation care, resulted in a high screening rate.

Predictors of uptake of cervical cancer screening among women in Urban Tanzania: community-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

The proportion of women screened for cervical cancer in Tanzania remains small at 6-21%. Even though some studies have been conducted to address barriers, the screening uptake remains low, which denotes the presence of unidentified barriers. The main objective of this study is to assess the predictors in the uptake of cervical cancer screening (CCS) among women in Tanzania.

METHODS

This is a community-based cross-sectional study conducted to obtain quantitative data through validated questionnaires to assess predictors of CCS.

RESULTS

1013 (91.8%) of the respondents had not been screened for cervical cancer. Three predictors of CCS were identified in this study; screening intention, health beliefs, and knowledge level. 600 (54.4%) of respondents had no screening intention. 552 (50%) had negative health beliefs, and 585 (53%) had inadequate knowledge of cervical cancer and CCS. Respondents who had no intention to screen were 0.482 (AOR) times less likely to uptake CCS (P = 0.002; 95% CI: 0.305, 0.761).

CONCLUSIONS

The ongoing community-awareness raising campaigns should be coupled with community knowledge-raising campaign, and there should be an establishing of peer-supporting screening programs in communities.

Quantifying the under-estimation of cervical Cancer in remote regions of Tanzania

Background

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women in Sub-Saharan countries, including Tanzania. While early detection and diagnosis are available in some parts of this large country, radiotherapy has been only available at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI), in the capital city of Dar es Salaam and is just starting in a few regions.

Methods

The objective of this study was to compare the observed incidence of cervical cancer for the two remote regions of Mwanza in western Tanzania and Mbeya in southern Tanzania, based on their patients treated at the ORCI from 2011 to 2014. Results: The number patients referred and treated at ORCI were (120 from Mwanza, and 171 from Mbeya, representing 24.6 and 32.8% of the patients histopathologically confirmed in the two sites, respectively. The results showed significant underestimation of cervical cancer in the two regions. The vast majority of patients who were histopathologically-confirmed in their local regions (73.92% from Mwanza and 65.1% from Mbeya), but did not receive the needed radiotherapy treatment at the ORCI. The estimated incidence for the two regions based on the number of patients treated at the ORCI were underestimated by 53.9% for Mwanza and 68.9% for Mbeya.

Conclusions

Local establishment of radiotherapy treatment facilities in remote regions in Tanzania and similar other low-income countries is essential for providing effective treatment and improving survival of diagnosed cervical cancer patients. Linkage between the records of local remote hospitals and the main cancer treatment center in the capital city can also help support the emerging the population-based cancer registry at ORCI.

Cervical cancer screening decentralized policy adaptation: an African rural-context-specific systematic literature review

Background: Worldwide, nearly 570,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, with 85% of new cases in low- and middle-income countries. The African continent is home to 35 of 40 countries with the highest cervical cancer mortality rates. In 2014, a partnership involving a rural region of Senegal, West Africa, was facing cervical cancer screening service sustainability barriers and began adapting regional-level policy to address implementation challenges.

Objective: This manuscript reports the findings of a systematic literature review describing the implementation of decentralized cervical cancer prevention services in Africa, relevant in context to the Senegal partnership. We report barriers and policy-relevant recommendations through Levesque’s Patient-Centered Access to Healthcare Framework and discuss the impact of this information on the partnership’s approach to shaping Senegal’s regional cervical cancer screening policy.

Methods: The systematic review search strategy comprised two complementary sub-searches. We conducted an initial search identifying 4272 articles, then applied inclusion criteria, and ultimately 19 studies were included. Data abstraction focused on implementation barriers categorized with the Levesque framework and by policy relevance.

Results: Our findings identified specific demand-side (clients and community) and supply-side (health service-level) barriers to implementation of cervical cancer screening services. We identify the most commonly reported demand- and supply-side barriers and summarize salient policy recommendations discussed within the reviewed literature.

Conclusions: Overall, there is a paucity of published literature regarding barriers to and best practices in implementation of cervical cancer screening services in rural Africa. Many articles in this literature review did describe findings with notable policy implications. The Senegal partnership has consulted this literature when faced with various similar barriers and has developed two principal initiatives to address contextual challenges. Other initiatives implementing cervical cancer visual screening services in decentralized areas may find this contextual reporting of a literature review helpful as a construct for identifying evidence for the purpose of guiding ongoing health service policy adaptation.

Cervical cancer in Tanzania: A systematic review of current challenges in six domains

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in Tanzania. After excluding human immunodeficiency virus, lower respiratory infections, malaria, diarrheal diseases, and tuberculosis, cervical cancer kills more women than any other form of illness in the country. Unfortunately, Tanzania has a low doctor-to-patient ratio (1:50,000) and nearly 7000 women die each year from this disease. The clinical problem is further magnified by the country's lack of resources and prevailing poverty, sporadic cervical cancer screening, prevalence of high-risk oncogenic human papillomavirus subtypes, and relatively high rates of human immunodeficiency virus co-infection. In recent years, addressing the cervical cancer problem has become a priority for the Tanzanian government. In this systematic review of 39 peer-reviewed publications that appeared in the PubMed/MEDLINE (NCBI) database from 2013 to 2018, we synthesize the growing body of literature to capture current trends in Tanzania's evolving cervical cancer landscape. Six domains were identified, including risk factors, primary prevention, barriers to screening, treatment, healthcare worker education, and sustainability. In addition to traditional risk factors associated with sexual behavior, acetowhite changes observed during visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid, lower education, rural setting, and HIV positivity also have a noteworthy clinical impact.

SMS behaviour change communication and eVoucher interventions to increase uptake of cervical cancer screening in the Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions of Tanzania: a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial of effectiveness

Background

Cervical cancer, although almost entirely preventable through cervical cancer screening (CCS) and human papillomavirus vaccination, is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Tanzania. Barriers to attending CCS include lack of awareness of CCS, affordability concerns regarding screening and travel cost. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of SMS (short message service) behaviour change communication (BCC) messages and of SMS BCC messages delivered with a transportation electronic voucher (eVoucher) on increasing uptake of CCS versus the control group.

Methods

Door-to-door recruitment was conducted between 1 February and 13 March 2016 in randomly selected enumeration areas in the catchment areas of two hospitals, one urban and one rural, in Northern Tanzania. Women aged 25–49 able to access a mobile phone were randomised using a computer-generated 1:1:1 sequence stratified by urban/rural to receive either (1) 15 SMS, (2) an eVoucher for return transportation to CCS plus the same SMS, or (3) one SMS informing about the nearest CCS clinic. Fieldworkers and participants were masked to allocation. All areas received standard sensitisation including posters, community announcements and sensitisation similar to community health worker (CHW) sensitisation. The primary outcome was attendance at CCS within 60 days of randomisation.

Findings

Participants (n=866) were randomly allocated to the BCC SMS group (n=272), SMS + eVoucher group (n=313), or control group (n=281), with 851 included in the analysis (BCC SMS n=272, SMS + eVoucher n=298, control group n=281). By day 60 of follow-up, 101 women (11.9%) attended CCS. Intervention group participants were more likely to attend than control group participants (SMS + eVoucher OR: 4.7, 95% CI 2.9 to 7.4; SMS OR: 3.0, 95% CI 1.5 to 6.2).

Trial registration number

NCT02680613.

Predictors of cervical cancer screening among Kenyan women: results of a nested case-control study in a nationally representative survey

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is a major public health concern in Kenya. It is the leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality among women. Although screening is an effective prevention method, uptake is low among eligible women. Little is known about predictors of cervical cancer screening uptake. This study explored relationship between uptake of cervical cancer screening, socio-demographic, behavioral and biological risk factors.

METHODS

Nested case-control study within STEPS survey, a population-based cross-sectional household survey conducted between April and June 2015.Cases were women who had undergone cervical cancer screening and controls were unscreened women. Study participants were women eligible for cervical cancer screening (30-49 years). Variables included socio-demographic; behavioral risk factors such as physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use diet and biological factors like diabetes and hypertension. Outcome of interest was cervical cancer screening. Data analysis was done using STATA version 14. Logistic regression model was used to assess relationship between cervical cancer screening and socio-demographic, behavioral and biological risk factors.

RESULTS

Of 1180 women interviewed, 16.4% (n = 194) had been screened for cervical cancer. Of unscreened women (n = 986), 67.9% were aware of cervical cancer screening. Higher screening rates were observed in more educated women (25.2%), highest income quintile (29.6%) and living in urban areas (23%) than in women with no formal education (3.2%), poorest (3.6%) and living in rural areas (13.8%). Younger women (35-39) and those with low High-density lipoprotein (HDL) were less likely to be screened [OR = 0.56; 95% CI = (0.34, 0.93); p-value = 0.025] and [OR = 0.51; 95% CI = (0.29, 0.91); p = value 0.023] respectively. Self-employed women, those in the fourth wealth quintile, binge drinkers, high sugar consumption and insufficient physical activity were more likely to be screened [OR 2.55 (1.12, 5.81) p value 0.026], [OR 3.56 (1.37, 9.28) p value 0.009], [OR 5.94 (1.52, 23.15) p value 0.010], [OR 2.99 (1.51, 5.89) p value 0.002] and [OR 2.79 (1.37, 5.68) p value 0.005] respectively.

CONCLUSION

Uptake of cervical cancer screening is low despite high awareness. Strategies to improve cervical cancer screening in Kenya should be implemented with messages targeting persons with both risky and non-risky lifestyles especially younger women with no formal education living in rural areas.

Barriers to accessing cervical cancer screening among HIV positive women in Kgatleng district, Botswana: A qualitative study

Background

Low and middle-income countries have a greater share of the cervical cancer burden, but lower screening coverage, compared to high-income countries. Moreover, screening uptake and disease outcomes are generally worse in rural areas as well as in the HIV positive population. Efforts directed at increasing the screening rates are important in order to decrease cancer-related morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to explore the barriers to women with HIV accessing cervical cancer screening in Kgatleng district, Botswana.

Methods

A phenomenological qualitative study utilising semi-structured interviews with fourteen HIV positive women, selected by purposive sampling. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and the 5-steps of the framework method, assisted by Atlas-ti software, was used for qualitative data analysis.

Results

Contextual factors included distance, public transport issues and work commitments. Health system factors highlighted unavailability of results, inconsistent appointment systems, long queues and equipment shortages and poor patient-centred communication skills, particularly skills in explanation and planning. Patient factors identified were lack of knowledge of cervical cancer, benefits of screening, effectiveness of treatment, as well as personal fears and misconceptions.

Conclusion

Cervical cancer screening was poorly accessed due to a weak primary care system, insufficient health promotion and information as well as poor communication skills. These issues could be partly addressed by considering alternative technology and one-stop models of testing and treating.

Barriers and Facilitators to Cervical Cancer Screening, Diagnosis, Follow-Up Care and Treatment: Perspectives of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Women and Health Care Practitioners in Tanzania

BACKGROUND

This study was conducted to identify barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening, diagnosis, follow-up care, and treatment among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women and clinicians and to explore the acceptability of patient navigators in Tanzania.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In 2012, we conducted four focus groups, two with HIV-positive women and two with clinicians who perform cervical cancer screening, diagnosis, follow-up care, and treatment. Transcriptions were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Findings from the patient focus groups indicate the prevalence of fear and stigma surrounding cervical cancer as well as a lack of information and access to screening and treatment. The clinician focus groups identified numerous barriers to screening, diagnosis, follow-up care, and treatment. Participants in both types of groups agreed that a patient navigation program would be an effective way to help women navigate across the cancer continuum of care including screening, diagnosis, follow-up care, and treatment.

CONCLUSION

Given the fear, stigma, misinformation, and lack of resources surrounding cervical cancer, it is not surprising that patient navigation would be welcomed by patients and providers.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

This article identifies specific barriers to cervical cancer screening and treatment from the perspectives of both clinicians and patients in Tanzania and describes the acceptability of the concept of patient navigation.

Exploring Effective Contextual Factors for Regular Cervical Cancer Screening in Iranian Women: A Qualitative Study

Background:

Adherence to regular screening programs for cervical cancer in Iranian women is not common. The aim of this study was to explore contextual factors influencing behavior and compliance with guidelines.

Methods:

This qualitative content analysis study was conducted in 2016-2017 in Hamadan city, Iran. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 31 participants who were selected purposefully on referring to health centers. Twenty-three were women with various experiences of cervical cancer screening and 8 were health care providers (4 midwives, 1 gynecologist, 1 general practitioner and 1 family health expert). Guba and Lincoln criteria were used for tustworthiness. MAXQDA10 software was employed for data analysis.

Results:

Four themes were extracted from the data: an opportunity maker system, opportunities to become acquainted, concerns for healthy living, and perception of cancer.

Conclusion:

The results showed sensitivity of health care providers and their appropriate performance in relation to regular screening behavior of women is very important. Women’s perception of cancer and its curability is another factor with a major effect on screening behavior. Opportunities for people to become acquainted with the Pap smear in a variety of ways and concern for healthy living and the need to have a healthy life to ensure quality of life were also found to be important.

Impact of Per Capita Income on the Effectiveness of School-Based Health Education Programs to Promote Cervical Cancer Screening Uptake in Southern Mozambique

Context

In the face of rising mortality rates from cervical cancer (CC) among women of reproductive age, a nationwide screening program based on visual inspection with acetic acid was introduced in Mozambique in 2009.

Objective

The objective of the study is to examine the impact of per capita income on the effectiveness of school-based health education programs to promote the utilization of CC screening services.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2013 involving 105 women randomly selected from households of different economic backgrounds. Marginal effect estimates derived from a logit model were used to explore the patterns in the effectiveness of school-based health education to promote CC screening uptake according to household per capita income, based on purchasing power parity.

Results

We found a CC screening uptake of 16.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.7%-24.6%) even though 64.6% (95% CI, 54.2%-74.1%) of women had heard of it. There are important economic differentials in the effectiveness of school-based health education to influence women's decision to receive CC screening. Among women with primary school or less, the probability of accessing CC screening services increases with increasing income (P < 0.05). However, income significantly reduces the effect that school-based health education has on the probability of screening uptake among those women with more than 7 years of educational attainment (P = 0.02).

Conclusion

These results show that CC screening programs in resource-constrained settings need approaches tailored to different segments of women with respect to education and income to achieve equitable improvement in the levels of screening uptake.

Barriers to Cervical Cancer and Breast Cancer Screening Uptake in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

Background:

Cervical cancer (CCa) and breast cancer (BCa) are the two leading cancers in women worldwide. Early detection and education to promote early diagnosis and screening of CCa and BCa greatly increases the chances for successful treatment and survival. Screening uptake for CCa and BCa in low and middle - income countries (LMICs) is low, and is consequently failing to prevent these diseases. We conducted a systematic review to identify the key barriers to CCa and BCa screening in women in LMICs.

Methods:

We performed a systematic literature search using Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, CINHAL Plus, and Google scholar to retrieve all English language studies from inception to 2015. This review was done in accordance with the PRISMA-P guidelines.

Results:

53 eligible studies, 31 CCa screening studies and 22 BCa screening studies, provided information on 81,210 participants. We found fewer studies in low-income and lower - middle - income countries than in upper - middle - income countries. Lack of knowledge about CCa and BCa, and understanding of the role of screening were the key barriers to CCa and BCa screening in LMICs. Factors that are opportunities for knowledge acquisition, such as level of education, urban living, employment outside the home, facilitated CCa and BCa screening uptake in women in LMICs.

Conclusions:

Improvements to CCa and BCa screening uptake in LMICs must be accompanied by educational interventions which aim to improve knowledge and understanding of CCa and BCa and screening to asymptomatic women. It is imperative for governments and health policy makers in LMICs to implement screening programmes, including educational interventions, to ensure the prevention and early detection of women with CCa and BCa. These programmes and policies will be an integral part of a comprehensive population-based CCa and BCa control framework in LMICs.

Setting up a community-based cervical screening service in a low-income country: a pilot study from north-western Tanzania

Objectives

To report the results of a pilot study for a service for cervical cancer screening and diagnosis in north-western Tanzania.

Methods

The pilot study was launched in 2012 after a community-level information campaign. Women aged 15–64 years were encouraged to attend the district health centres. Attendees were offered a conventional Pap smear and a visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA).

Results

The first 2500 women were evaluated. A total of 164 women (detection rate 70.0/1000) were diagnosed with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive cervical cancer. The performance of VIA was comparable to that of Pap smear. The district of residence, a history of untreated sexually transmitted disease, an HIV-negative status (inverse association), and parity were independently associated with the detected prevalence of disease. The probability of invasive versus preinvasive disease was lower in HIV-positive women and in women practicing breast self-examination.

Conclusions

The diagnostic procedure had an acceptable level of quality. Factors associated with the detected prevalence of disease will allow for a more targeted promotion of the service. Cervical screening should be coordinated with sexually transmitted disease and HIV infection control activities.

Cervical cancer prevention and treatment research in Africa: a systematic review from a public health perspective

BACKGROUND

Women living in Africa experience the highest burden of cervical cancer. Research and investment to improve vaccination, screening, and treatment efforts are critically needed. We systematically reviewed and characterized recent research within a broader public health framework to organize and assess the range of cervical cancer research in Africa.

METHODS

We searched online databases and the Internet for published articles and cervical cancer reports in African countries. Inclusion criteria included publication between 2004 and 2014, cervical cancer-related content pertinent to one of the four public health categories (primary, secondary, tertiary prevention or quality of life), and conducted in or specifically relevant to countries or regions within the African continent. The study design, geographic region/country, focus of research, and key findings were documented for each eligible article and summarized to illustrate the weight and research coverage in each area. Publications with more than one focus (e.g. secondary and tertiary prevention) were categorized by the primary emphasis of the paper. Research specific to HIV-infected women or focused on feasibility issues was delineated within each of the four public health categories.

RESULTS

A total of 380 research articles/reports were included. The majority (54.6 %) of cervical cancer research in Africa focused on secondary prevention (i.e., screening). The number of publication focusing on primary prevention (23.4 %), particularly HPV vaccination, increased significantly in the past decade. Research regarding the treatment of precancerous lesions and invasive cervical cancer is emerging (17.6 %), but infrastructure and feasibility challenges in many countries have impeded efforts to provide and evaluate treatment. Studies assessing aspects of quality of life among women living with cervical cancer are severely limited (4.1 %). Across all categories, 11.3 % of publications focused on cervical cancer among HIV-infected women, while 17.1 % focused on aspects of feasibility for cervical cancer control efforts.

CONCLUSIONS

Cervical cancer research in African countries has increased steadily over the past decade, but more is needed. Tertiary prevention (i.e. treatment of disease with effective medicine) and quality of life of cervical cancer survivors are two severely under-researched areas. Similarly, there are several countries in Africa with little to no research ever conducted on cervical cancer.

Awareness and prevalence of cervical cancer screening among women in Nepal

OBJECTIVE

To estimate awareness and prevalence of cervical smear testing among women in Nepal.

METHODS

A secondary analysis of data obtained as part of a nationwide household survey between May 25 and June 14, 2015, was undertaken. Information obtained from women aged 21-65years was included. Multiple regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with having undergone cervical smear testing.

RESULTS

A total of 829 women were included. Among 816 women who answered the relevant survey question, 710 (87.0%) had no knowledge of cervical smear tests. Only 39 (4.7%) of the 829 women had ever undergone a cervical smear. In multivariate analysis, having undergone a cervical smear was associated with literacy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25-8.51; P=0.016) and living in rural areas (aOR 0.48, 95% CI 0.24-0.96; P=0.038).

CONCLUSION

Nepali women rarely undergo cervical smear screening, with the lowest prevalence recorded among the illiterate and those living in rural areas. To boost screening rates, educational campaigns and rural outreach are needed.

Lack of Understanding of Cervical Cancer and Screening Is the Leading Barrier to Screening Uptake in Women at Midlife in Bangladesh: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer (CCa) is the second most common cancer among women in Bangladesh. The uptake of CCa screening was less than 10% in areas where screening has been offered, so we investigated the awareness of CCa and CCa screening, and factors associated with women's preparedness to be screened.

METHODS

A nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of women aged 30-59 years was conducted in 7 districts of the 7 divisions in Bangladesh, using a multistage cluster sampling technique. Factors associated with the awareness of CCa and screening uptake were investigated separately, using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

On systematic questioning, 81.3% and 48.6% of the 1,590 participants, whose mean age was 42.3 (±8.0) years, had ever heard of CCa and CCa screening, respectively. Having heard of CCa was associated with living in a rural area (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.42; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26-0.67), being 40-49 years old (OR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.15-2.0), having no education (OR: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.16-0.38), and being obese (OR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.23-3.36). Of the 773 women who had ever heard of CCa screening, 86% reported that they had not been screened because they had no symptoms and 37% did not know screening was needed. Only 8.3% had ever been screened. Having been screened was associated with being 40-49 years old (OR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.19-3.94) and employed outside the home (OR: 3.83; 95% CI: 1.65-8.9), and inversely associated with rural dwelling (OR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.30-0.98) and having no education (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.10-0.85).

CONCLUSION

Lack of awareness of CCa and of understanding of the concept of screening are the key barriers to screening uptake in women at midlife in Bangladesh. Targeted educational health programs are needed to increase screening in Bangladesh with the view to reducing mortality.

Expanding Cervical Cancer Screening and Treatment in Tanzania: Stakeholders' Perceptions of Structural Influences on Scale-Up

Tanzania has the highest burden of cervical cancer in East Africa. This study aims to identify perceived barriers and facilitators that influence scale-up of regional and population-level cervical cancer screening and treatment programs in Tanzania. Convenience sampling was used to select participants for this qualitative study among 35 key informants. Twenty-eight stakeholders from public-sector health facilities, academia, government, and nongovernmental organizations completed in-depth interviews, and a seven-member municipal health management team participated in a focus group discussion. The investigation identified themes related to the infrastructure of health services for cervical cancer prevention, service delivery, political will, and sociocultural influences on screening and treatment. Decentralizing service delivery, improving access to screening and treatment, increasing the number of trained health workers, and garnering political will were perceived as key facilitators for enhancing and initiating screening and treatment services. In conclusion, participants perceived that system-level structural factors should be addressed to expand regional and population-level service delivery of screening and treatment.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Tanzanian women have a high burden of cervical cancer. Understanding the perceived structural factors that may influence screening coverage for cervical cancer and availability of treatment may be beneficial for program scale-up. This study showed that multiple factors contribute to the challenge of cervical cancer screening and treatment in Tanzania. In addition, it highlighted systematic developments aimed at expanding services. This study is important because the themes that emerged from the results may help inform programs that plan to improve screening and treatment in Tanzania and potentially in other areas with high burdens of cervical cancer.

Health care access dimensions and cervical cancer screening in South Africa: analysis of the world health survey

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality among women in sub-Saharan Africa. Recent recommendations for cervical cancer primary prevention highlight HPV vaccination, and secondary prevention through screening. However, few studies have examined the different dimensions of health care access, and how these may influence screening behavior, especially in the context of clinical preventive services.

METHODS

Using the 2003 South Africa World Health Survey, we determined the prevalence of cervical cancer screening with pelvic examinations and/or pap smears among women ages 18 years and older. We also examined the association between multiple dimensions of health care access and screening focusing on the affordability, availability, accessibility, accommodation and acceptability components.

RESULTS

About 1 in 4 (25.3%, n = 65) of the women who attended a health care facility in the past year got screened for cervical cancer. Screened women had a significantly higher number of health care providers available compared with unscreened women (mean 125 vs.12, p-value <0.001), and were more likely to have seen a medical doctor compared with nurses/midwives (73.1% vs. 45.9%, p-value = 0.003). In multivariable analysis, every unit increase in the number of health care providers available increased the likelihood of screening by 1% (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.01). In addition, seeing a nurse/midwife compared to a medical doctor reduced the likelihood of screening by 87% (OR = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.42).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that cost issues (affordability component) and other patient level factors (captured in the acceptability, accessibility and accommodation components) were less important predictors of screening compared with availability of physicians in this population. Meeting cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination goals will require significant investments in the health care workforce, improving health care worker density in poor and rural areas, and improved training of the existing workforce.