Globally, cervical cancer accounted for an estimated 528,000 new cancer cases worldwide and for 266,000 deaths in 2012. In Ethiopia, 35.9 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed and 22.6 die from it, per 100,000 women annually.There are many factors associated with cervical cancer in Ethiopia such as Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), cultural factors, Poverty, Coinfection and lack of awareness. Ethiopia has no standard policy or protocol for cervical cancer screening rather it is patchy or inconsistent. Ethiopian women typically present for cancer care at a late stage in the disease, where treatment is likely ineffective. To produce significant decrease in incidence and mortality, barriers should be addressed as well research studies should be strengthened in the areas of cervical cancer.
Background Cervical cancer is a malignant neoplasm from cells originating in the cervix uteri. Any woman who is sexually active is at risk of getting HPV. Women in sub-Saharan Africa region have higher chance of developing the disease. There are nearly 26 million Ethiopian women who are over the age of 15 and believed to be at risk of getting HPV. Regrettably, Ethiopian women typically present for cervical cancer care at a late stage in the disease, where treatment is most ineffective. Objectives To explore communities’ perceptions of cervical cancer and screening among women in Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia. Methods A qualitative research using focused group discussions and in-depth interviews was used to explore communities’ perceptions of cervical cancer and screening among women in Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia from March 2018-November 2019. The study participants were men, women and communities who were residents of the study settings and were not health professionals. All focused group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews were transcribed and entered into Microsoft Word and thematic content analysis was done. Results A total of fifty-nine participants participated in both FGD (three with men and six with women) and in-depth interviews (IDIs). Most participants have not heard about cervical cancer but know cancer in general. Participants mentioned that the disease usually relates to many births and unprotected sexual intercourse but none mentioned HPV infection. Most of the participants perceive that cervical cancer is incurable and assume that it could be prevented but they think they are not vulnerable to the disease and screening is not necessary. Conclusion This study indicates that rural communities in the zone had limited knowledge about cervical cancer and even less about risk factors, screening, treatment and prevention. There is a great need for cancer education and prevention in Ethiopia.
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