A Study of Factors Influencing Access and Utilization of Cervical Cancer Screening Services Among Women of Reproductive Age in Murang’a County, Kenya

Abstract

The study sought to examine factors influencing access and use of cervical cancer screening services among women aged between 18 and 49 years in Kiru Ward ofMathioya Sub-county in Murang’a County, Kenya. The study focused on such factors as sociodemographic, knowledge and awareness, socio-cultural, and health facility related factors and their influence on access and utilization of cervical cancer screening services. The study was descriptive in nature and adopted a cross-sectional research design. Quantitative data were collected using an interview schedule from a multistage selected sample of 186 women aged 18-49 years as primary respondents. Additional qualitative data were obtained from six key informants and two focused group discussions who were purposively selected. The findings showed that a majority of women had not utilised cervical cancer screening services. Older women were likely to participate in care seeking behaviour than younger women. Married women were also more likely to go for screening services while lower income earners were less likely to go for screening services. More than half of the sample had heard about cervical cancer. However, there were major knowledge gaps in majority of the respondents putting into question the quality of information they heard. Majority of women agreed that none of their family members had ever gone for screening and some indicated that they feared pain during screening and feared abnormal results .A majority of women found it affordable to pay higher costs of transport to access screening services. Patient waiting time attributed to high work load was a major hindrance to screening. Factors such as means of transport, and attitude of personnel were not key factors influencing how women access and utilize screening services. The study recommends that there is need to raise awareness on cervical cancer to both men and women. Trained health personnel should be increased to reduce on workload and offer provider initiated counselling. County government of Murang’a and other agencies should provide community outreach services to reach those who cannot afford to visit the health facilities. The measures would increase access and use of cervical cancer screening services.