Abstract:
Background: Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer with about 500,000 new patients diagnosed and over 250,000 deaths among women worldwide annually. Cervical cancer screening programs have reduced the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer. In Ethiopia cervical cancer screening rate is low and studying screening practice and factors affecting screening was very important for programme planners to intervene effectively. Objective: to assess cervical cancer screening practice and associated factors among women employees in hospitals, Wolaita Zone SNNPR, Ethiopia, 2017. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study design was conducted in Wolaita zone among age eligible woman employees from March/1 -April /30, 2017. Sample size was allocated using probability proportionate to size technique. Finally simple random sampling technique employed to select 401 study participants from respective hospitals. Pre-tested Structured self administered questionnaire was used. Data was entered and cleaned using Epi-data3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 20 software packages. Bivariate and Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess association between dependent and independent variables with 95% CI and pvalue less than 0.05 was set for association. .Results: About 120(31.2%) participants were screened for cervical cancer. Age (AOR=2.842(1.616, 5.00)), source of information from health professions, (AOR=3.301(1.899, 5.737)), being single (AOR=2.206(1.116, 4.362)), sex with more than one partner,(AOR=2.289(1.116,4.362) ,STI(AOR=3.13(1.784,5.493), attitude score towards cervical cancer screening (AOR=1.468(1.334, 1.616)) ,knowledge score (AOR=1.267(1.92, 1.346))were significant predictors of cervical cancer screening practice. Conclusion and recommendation: Magnitude of cervical cancer screening service uptake among age eligible women is still low. Age of the women, working as counselor in ART clinic, marital status, and source of information from health care professionals, history of multiple sexual partners, sexually transmitted disease, Knowledge and attitude were important predictors of cervical cancer screening practice.
