Acceptability of Cervical Cancer Screening Test and Associated Factors Among Women Aged 30-49 Years in Tigray

Abstract

Background 
Cervical cancer is preventable by using human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination or through screening, early detection, and treatment of the pre-cancerous lesion. However, there is scanty information on the level of acceptability of cervical cancer screening test and its associated factors in Tigray. 
Objectives 
To assess the level of acceptability of cervical cancer screening test and factors associated among women aged 30-49 years attending public hospitals in Mekelle city, Tigray.
Methods
A hospital-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 316 women aged 30-49 years in two public hospitals located in Mekelle city, from October 10 to November 10, 2019. Study participants were recruited using a systematic random sampling method. The total sample size was allocated to the two public hospitals with proportional to the size of the outpatient load. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire using face to face interview. The entered data were exported to SPSS version 22 statistical package for data analysis. Summary statistics were computed and Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate factors associated with the acceptability of screening test. 
Results
Out of 315 study participants, 132 (41.9%) were accepted the test. Based on this study, factors such as: having educational level college and above [AOR(95%CI)=6.32(2.91-13.70)], having high perceived susceptibility of cervical cancer [AOR( 95% CI)=3.31(1.63-
6.80)], and having good knowledge about cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening [AOR( 95% CI) = 4.54(2.10 - 9.99)] were significantly associated with the outcome variable.
Conclusions 
Low level of acceptance of the test implies that urgently needed for an intervention to increase the knowledge and perception of women about the importance of early detection of cervical cancer through screening tests.