Abstract:
Background: Cervical Cancer is the common gynecologic cancer affecting the life of women. It causes
deaths of thousands of women annually worldwide. Cervical cancer screening is the method of early
detection of cervical cancer before occurrence to decrease the mortality and morbidity of the diseases.
When women screened at least once in her lifetime between the ages of 30 and 40 for cervical cancer,
her risk of cancer could be decreased by 25-36%. Despite this advantage the coverage of cervical cancer
screening is low in Low and Middle Income Countries including Ethiopia. Only few studies have been
done in Ethiopia concerning cervical cancer screening service utilization among eligible women.
Objective: To assess cervical cancer screening service utilization and associated factors among eligible
women (30-49 years) in Jimma town, south west Ethiopia, 2017.
Methodology: Community based cross sectional study was conducted among women of 30-49 years in
Jimma town from March 20 to April 15, 2017. Triangulated with qualitative method of data collection.
The data were collected using a structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Data were entered
using epidata manager version 4.0.2 and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Logistic regression
analysis was performed and variables with p-value of less than 0.05 were taken as statistically
significant predictors of cervical cancer screening service utilization.
Results: Of the 737 women, only 114 (15.5%) had been screened for cervical cancer. Among
respondents who were screened, 51(44.7%) screened because they had been requested by a health care
provider. The independent predictors of cervical cancer screening were: occupational status
[AOR=2.67, 95% CI:1.29-5.49], knowing someone who had ever been screened [AOR=363, 95% CI:
2.06-6.40], history gynecologic examination [AOR =2.91, 95% CI: 1.49-5.66], no gender preference
for gynecologic examination [AOR=3.59, 95% CI:1.97-6.53], consultation of health care providers
[AOR=4.37, 95% CI:2.51-7.63], Knowledge status [AOR=3.46, 95% CI:1.44-8.31] and perceived
susceptible status [AOR=3.23, 95% CI:1.74-5.99].
Conclusion: Utilization of screening service is low in Jimma town. Occupation, knowing someone who
screened, history of gynecologic examination, gender preference for gynecologic examination,
consultation/advise about cervical cancer with health care providers, perceived susceptibility for
cervical cancer and knowledge about cervical cancer & screening were independent predictors for
cervical cancer screening. Strengthening the screening service is important through raising the
awareness of the community and integration of the services.
