Why don’t Ugandan women living with HIV/AIDS test for cervical cancer?

Researchers proposed a study to find out what prevents women living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda from getting tested for cervical cancer. The government could use the answers to improve health services.

Cervical cancer cases continue to rise even though it is a preventable disease. Cancer negatively affects the health of women, and cases are increasing in those living with HIV/AIDS.

Early detection is key to treating cervical cancer, yet women in Uganda tend to seek care in hospitals late in the disease’s progression.

More information was therefore needed on reasons behind this, as well as cervical cancer testing and availability in Uganda.

In this proposal, the researchers would look for any scientific papers and hospital reports written about cervical cancer in women living with HIV. They also wanted to interview workers in the relevant clinics about why they think these women do not test for cervical cancer. They wanted to do this study in the rural Kyenjojo District, Uganda.

The researchers said their results would give a clear picture of knowledge gaps at the time.

They were also hoping their study would generate important information to develop tools and indicators for improving cervical cancer testing in Uganda.

The researchers also said their other results would show areas that need to be addressed in HIV/AIDS prevention and care.

They said their study results would inform health programmes and help to overcome obstacles for these women.

Ultimately, they hoped more women would test, which would lead to more mothers surviving. Like other countries in the world, by 2030 Uganda wants to reduce the number of people dying from non-communicable diseases including cancer.

Abstract

Cervical Cancer is preventable and ranks as the second common cancer among women globally. Since 1981, the incidence of cervical cancer has been on the rise among women living with HIV/AIDS. Cervical cancer in Uganda is usually diagnosed late and the prognosis is very poor. There are gaps in general knowledge on cervical cancer (CC) screening and availability of screening services in the country. This study is intended to explore such barriers to access and utilization of cervical cancer screening services among WHIV in Kyenjojo District

We will search publications and written articles on cervical cancer prevention especially screening among HIV women, from PubMed, Cochrane libraries, as well as the ministry of health unpublished reports. We will employ a qualitative study design using key informant (KI) purposively selected from Kyenjojo Hospital Reproductive Health and ART Clinics. This will permit us to achieve a detailed investigation using health belief model on individual perceptions while providing deeper insights into the factors that hinder access and utilization of cervical cancer screening services among HIV/AIDS women in Kyenjojo District.

This study is intended to explore such barriers to access and utilization of cervical cancer screening services among WHIV in Kyenjojo. The study will thus significantly contribute to improved programming, advocacy, and efforts to scale up CC services among rural populations in Uganda while contributing to overall maternal survival in line with 2030 Sustainable Development Goals country initiatives.

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