Knowledge Toward Cervical Cancer and Its Determinants Among Women Aged 30-49 in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia

Cervical Cancer: Early Detection and Prevention in Reproductive Age Group

Cancer has been one of the major illnesses faced by people over many generations. Despite the advancements made in medicine, there are still many problems faced by humankind. Every year a large number of people are diagnosed with cervical cancer. It is the most common type of cancerous condition prevalent among females, especially females over thirty years of age. Like any other cancer, cervical cancer also occurs because of the rapid uncontrolled division of the body cells. A primary reason for its development is the longstanding infection of certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). A screening test is done to confirm the presence of the virus in the cervix. Many screening tests are available today for accurate diagnosis or confirmation of the condition being suffered from. The main goal of screening is early detection and making certain lifestyle changes to deduce the potential harm of the disease and start the treatment as soon as possible. A thorough study of the already published articles by scholars, professors, and doctors is carried out to conclude the necessity of cervical cancer screening and early detection.

Determinants of utilization of cervical cancer screening among women in the age group of 30–49 years in Ambo Town, Central Ethiopia: A case-control study

Background

Globally, cervical cancer is the second most common and the leading cause of death in women in low-income countries. It is one of the potentially preventable cancers, and an effective screening program can result in a significant reduction in the morbidity and mortality associated with this cancer; however, evidence showed that only a small percentage of the women were screened. As a result, predictors of cervical cancer screening usage among women in Ambo town, central Ethiopia, were identified in this study.

Method

Unmatched, a community-based case-control study was conducted among 195 randomly sampled women in the age group of 30–49 years in Ambo town from February 1 to March 30, 2020. Data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was done using SPSS.

Results

A total of 195 study participants, sixty-five cases and one hundred thirty controls, participated in this study, making a response rate of 100%. Being in the age group of 30–34 years old (AOR = 0.2; 95% CI: 0.06–0.7), being Para five and above (AOR = 4.5; 95% CI: 1.4–14.1), modern contraceptive utilization (AOR = 5.4; 95% CI: 1.8–16.3) and having high-level knowledge regarding cervical cancer screening and its predisposing factors (AOR = 5.9; 95% CI: 2–17) were significantly associated with the utilization of cervical cancer screening.

Conclusion

The age of women, parity, use of modern contraception, and level of knowledge regarding cervical cancer screening and its predisposing factors were the determinants of the utilization of cervical cancer screening among women. As a result, the media, the health bureau, and health professionals should advocate raising awareness about cervical cancer and its preventative methods, which are primarily focused on screening.