Exploring Barriers and Perceptions of Rural Women Towards Cervical Cancer Screening Among Reproductive Age Women in Sadi Chanka District, Oromia, West Ethiopia: A Qualitative Study
Abstract:
Background: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer affecting women's reproductive organs and challenges faced by women. Cervical cancer screening is a public health intervention used on a population at risk, or target population to diagnose a disease. Effective screening programs reduce morbidity and mortality due to this cancer. The study aimed to explore barriers and perceptions of rural women towards cervical cancer screening among reproductive age women in Sadi Chanka district, Oromia, West Ethiopia.
Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in Sadi Chanka district through in-depth interviews of 28 study participants from November 1 to December 20, 2022. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires and captured using an audio tape recorder and field note-taking. A homogeneous purposive sampling technique was used to select representative study participants. Participants' interviews were transcribed and translated according to the participants verbatim from the local language (Afan-Oromo) to the English language by language experts in both languages. The transcribed data were entered into Microsoft Word and analyzed using thematic analysis. Data were presented in narrative forms using the respondent's own verbatim as an illustration.
Results: A total of twenty-eight study participants were involved in this study. Seven thematic areas were emerged from interviews of the respondents through thematic analysis of the data: The identified barriers and perceptions of the respondents towards cervical screening were categorized into the following thematic areas are; Misinformation and awareness related factors, sign and symptoms of cervical cancer, gender preferred for screening service, side effects of procedures, availability and affordability of the service, and prevention and treatment outcome of the disease were the key identified barriers and perceptions of cervical cancer screening under these themes.
Conclusion: The finding explored and revealed that, misinformation, lack of awareness about cervical cancer screening services, lack of cervical screening services at all health facilities, risk factors of cervical cancer, sign and symptoms of cervical cancer, gender preferred for screening service, side effects of procedures, availability and affordability of the service, and prevention and treatment outcome of the disease were the key barriers and perceptions of cervical screening among rural reproductive age women. Thus, the district health office should work on cervical cancer screening services to improve rural women's barriers and perceptions of cervical cancer service screening, efforts should be focused on enhancing awareness and related factors.
