Knowledge, utilization and barriers of cervical cancer screening among women attending selected district hospitals in Rwanda

Abstract

Background: The cancer of cervix is placed third among common cancers attacking women globally. Rwanda is among countries belonging in Easter Africa where cancer of cervix was ranked on second place among other cancers attacking women. However, regular screening is among preventive majors for the cancer of cervix. Despite that, the screening services in African is estimated between 10 and 70%. Furthermore, individual, community, service provider, and health system related barriers limiting the use of screening services in HICS and LICS. In Rwanda, there is a limited literature on utilization of screening services. Aim: To assess knowledge, utilization and barriers limiting women to attend cervical cancer screening services in district hospitals selected by the researcher. Methods: The research used quantitative study (cross-sectional) among selected district hospitals of Rwanda. To select the respondent, the study used a sampling method of systematic random. Researcher distributed to the respondent a structured questionnaire for collecting demographic attributes, level of knowledge and utilization rate and barriers limiting screening services. Before data collection, ethical clearance has been obtained from IRB. After survey, data collected was screened and analyzed by use of SSPS software. Results: This study involved 329 women sampled among women attending gynecology services in the selected district hospitals in the month of May. A half of respondents had high score knowledge level to the screening services of cervical cancer. Respondent undergone screening were 28.3%. The multivariate analysis had found out good association between utilization and knowledge on screening among women on probability of 0.000. Individual, community, health provider and systems barriers limit the access of beneficiaries of screening. Conclusion: The half of respondent whose higher score knowledge on cervical cancer, only 28.3% got screened. A number of barriers prevent women from getting screened. Global effort should encourage screening for the cancer of cervix coverage and reducing barriers.