Determinants of cervical cancer screening utilization among women aged 30-45 years in Blantyre district, Malawi

Abstract

Cervical cancer screening is the single important public health strategy to reduce cervical cancer incidence and subsequent mortality. In Malawi, low utilization leads to high mortality rate (80%). This cross-sectional community based study aimed at identifying determinants to utilization of cervical cancer screening services among women aged 30-45 years in Blantyre district, Malawi. A total of 257 selected women (134 urban and 123 rural) participated in the study and face to face interview was conducted using a structured questionnaire to gather information on socio-demographic, knowledge, perception, health locus control, and social support from 30th April 2015 to 16th May 2015. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression. Only 13.2% of the women had ever been screened for cervical cancer screening. The main reasons for not being screened among the respondents who were not screened yet included lack of interest (39.7%), lack of knowledge (33.5%) and no reason given (19.8%). The most significant determinants to utilization were older age (Adj.OR=7.05, 95% CI=2.31-21.6), having more than one sex partners (Adj.OR=3.24, 95% CI=1.31-8.0), use of oral contraceptive (Adj.OR=2.60, 95% CI=1.02-6.61), having heard of cervical cancer screening (Adj.OR=17.7, 95% CI=2.18-144) and higher level of knowledge (Adj.OR=7.37, 95% CI=2.44- 22.2). In conclusion, there is low utilization of cervical cancer screening among women in Blantyre district. There is need for effective community based cervical screening, education and awareness for good and suc- cessful utilization of cervical cancer screening in Blantyre District and Malawi.