CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING UPTAKE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG ADULT HUMAN IMMUNE VIRUS POSITIVE WOMEN IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS, HARAR, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer in Ethiopian women, following breast cancer, and it is about six times more common in Human Immune Virus (HIV) infected women. Cervical cancer screening provides protective advantages and is linked to a decrease in the incidence of invasive cervical cancer and mortality. However, participation in cervical cancer screening is quite low in developing country. There was insufficient data on the uptake of this service, particularly among HIV-infected women in eastern Ethiopia. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess cervical cancer screening service uptake and its associated factors among adult HIV positive women in public hospitals, Harar, eastern Ethiopia, from March 20 to April 20 /2022. Methods: An institution based cross sectional study was conducted among 454 Adults HIV positive women attending care and treatment at public Hospital Harar town. The participant was selected by systematic random sampling technique, using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were computed to describe the study variables, Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the presence and the degree of association between dependent and independent variables using SPSS. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, a P-value of ≤ 0.05 and adjusted odd ratio with a 95% confidence interval were considered to determine independent predictors for the uptake of cervical cancer screening. Result: Cervical cancer screening uptake in this study was 57.5% (95%CI: 52.5, 62.9%). Cervical cancer screening uptake was significantly associated with age between 30-39years (AOR=0.38(0.16, 0.8), older age ≥50years (AOR= 0.13 (0.03, 0.50), tertiary level of education (AOR=0.19(0.04, 0.9), good knowledge (AOR=3.59(2.12, 6.07) and monthly income ≥2501 Ethiopian birr (AOR= 0.38(0.15, 0.95). Conclusions: In this study, more than half of the respondents had received cervical cancer screening. This finding implies that to maximize service uptake, it is necessary to strengthen specific counseling and encouragement that target HIV-positive women, in all educational level and their monthly income status