Abstract:
Background: Cervical cancer ranks second in incidence and mortality behind breast cancer in
lower Human Development Index. An appropriate screening strategy is a priority nowadays in low
Human Development Index settings where incidence and mortality from cervical cancer is very
high. Recently, the OncoE6™ Cervical Test (OncoE6 Test) which is a rapid, easy-to-use lateral
flow method detecting HPV16/18 E6 oncoproteins that has proven to detect high-grade cervical
lesions with high specificity and this technology might allow for decentralized screening of hard-
to-reach populations. The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge, practice and factors
associated with previous screening practices among women attending gynecologic OPD at Jimma
Medical Center.
Methods: a hospital based cross sectional study was conducted on women aged 25 to 50 years
visiting gynecology OPD of Jimma Medical Center from December 5 th 2020 to August 31 st 2021.
Data were collected by trained midwives, from 437 women using an interviewer-administered
questionnaire, entered to kobo tool, and exported to STATA version 17 for analysis.
Results: out of the total respondents, the age range was from 25 to 50 years with a mean of 34.5
years. Previous history of screening practice was 4.6%. around 63% know risk factors of cervical
cancer, and the prevalence of Onco E6 and VIA positivity was 2.1 and 0.5% respectively. There
were no associated factors for previous history of cervical cancer screening.
Conclusion and recommendation: validation test for the new Onco E6 is recommended
