TITLE:
Patient-Related Factors Influencing Uptake of Cervical Cancer Screening Services among Outpatient HIV-Positive Women at PCEA Chogoria Hospital, Tharaka-Nithi, Kenya
AUTHORS:
Peter Nyakimwa Mong’are, Lucy Kawira Gitonga, Eugene Sundays Mukhwana
KEYWORDS:
Cervical Cancer, Screening, HIV-Positive Women, Uptake, Patient-Related Factors
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.10 No.2,
February
27,
2023
ABSTRACT: Cancer of the cervix is the leading gynecological malignancy in women and the most prevalent cancer among HIV-positive women. HIV-positive women have up to six times higher risk of contracting cervical cancer as compared to HIV-negative women. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that sexually active girls and women should start screening for cervical cancer as soon as they are diagnosed with HIV. However, studies conducted in most developing countries, including Kenya, have established a low uptake of CCS services among this population. The purpose of this study was to determine patient-related factors influencing cervical cancer screening (CCS) uptake among women living with HIV (WLHIV) in PCEA Chogoria Hospital, Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was used. A total of 130 WLHIV were recruited into the study using convenient sampling technique. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and was analyzed using both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Chi-square tests were used to establish the association between patient-related factors and screening for cervical cancer. The findings of the study revealed that 79% of the WLHIV had screened for cervical cancer. Most of the WLHIV screened for cervical cancer as a personal initiative or after recommendation by a health care worker. Patient-related factors such as level of education, age, marital status, partner support, and religion significantly (p