| dc.description.abstract | Cervical cancer is often the most common cancer among women in developing countries, yet
current screening efforts have not been effective in reducing incidence and mortality rates.
Over the years, demand for cervical cancer screening services has remained poor and in an
effort to increase knowledge about screening participation in low-resource settings, this study
sought to identify key factors influencing women's participation in cervical cancer screening
in Kenya. This is because strategies for strengthening cervical cancer prevention should focus
on ensuring that appropriate, cost-effective services are available and that women who most
need the services will, in fact, use them. A number of factors may influence a woman’s
ability and desire to participate in screening for cervical cancer, and the impact of decisionmaking
process cannot be ignored. This study investigated the factors that influence the
demand for cervical cancer screening services among rural women in Kenya. The study
objectives included the influence of awareness, social support, women’s income levels and
the extent to which women’s education level influences demand for cervical cancer screening
services in Yatta sub-county. The study reviewed existing literature and used the socioecological
model and identified a knowledge gap to be addressed through a cross-sectional
household survey; targeting women aged between 25 to 55 years. This was conducted using a
descriptive research design and an interviewer-administered questionnaire was administered
to 347 participants on consenting to be part of the research. The findings showed that demand
for cervical cancer screening was quite low at 37 (11%), awareness of the screening services
was also low at 55 (12%). Among those screened, 65% were married and 95% had at least
primary school education. Among the major findings of this study was that screened for
cervical cancer, 79% of them live between 5 to 10km away from the nearest health facility;
compared to 22% those living less than 5km to the facilities yet had not been screened.
Others reported the cost of these services to be too high; yet have been screened. The
respondents reported lack of awareness, fear of testing positive for cervical cancer, cost of
procedure and practitioners not allowing them to ask questions and clarifications as the major
hindrances to cervical cancer screening. Community health workers were reported as the
major sources of information; considered trustworthy and motivate women to proactively
seek screening; are the ‘interface’ between the formal health care system and the community,
they bridge the gap between health needs and provision. It is across this bridge that primary
health care may advance understanding individual and community-level barriers to uptake of
screening services, improving healthcare worker performance by identifying effective
methods for training, supporting and supervising community health care workers, identifying
and evaluating strategies to strengthen the links between screening, diagnosis and treatment
and identifying the optimal program design, outcomes and costs given the number of
competing public health priorities facing the rural Kenyan women. It is hoped that the
findings and recommendations of this study will be useful to the Ministry of health and other
stakeholders to review its policies to increase the demand for cervical cancer services in
health facilities. It is also hoped that the findings may also form a significant reference
material to researchers in conducting cervical cancer studies. | en_US |
