Determinants and levels of cervical Cancer screening uptake among women of reproductive age in South Africa: evidence from South Africa Demographic and health survey data, 2016 |
Authors: |
Monica Ewomazino Akokuwebe, Erhabor Sunday Idemudia, Abiel M. Lekulo, and Ogone Warona Motlogeloa |
Source: |
BMC Public Health, Volume 21, article number: 2013; DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12020-z |
Topic(s): |
Women's health
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Country: |
Africa
South Africa
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Published: |
NOV 2021 |
Abstract: |
Background:
Cervical cancer (CC) is the cancer with the most incidents and the leading cause of cancer mortality among women in South Africa. CC screening is one of the most cost-effective control approaches for the disease burden. This study assessed the determinants and individual-level indicators of cervical cancer screening uptake among women of reproductive age in South Africa.
Methods:
We analyzed data from the 2016 South Africa Demographic Health Survey. Our analysis focused on 5903 women (15–49?years). We conducted Chi-square test for bivariate analysis, and multivariate binary logistics regression was used to analyze independent association between individual-level factors and women who have had Pap smear testing. Statistical significance was set at p 0.05.
Results:
The mean age at cervical cancer screening uptake among women in South Africa was 40.8?years (SD 18.6, range 15–95?years). A majority of the women (39.3%) were aged 45?years and above and 54.6% of them resides in urban settlements. About 35.4% of women (n?=?2098) have had a Pap smear test, with 66.5% of them who had a Pap smear test resides in Western Cape province. The proportion of women who had a Pap smear test was significantly higher among those with higher educational attainment (68.7%, p?=?0.000), in the rich wealth index (50.1%, p?=?0.000), and those with health insurance cover (60.3%, p?=?0.000). Pap smear testing was found to be more prevalent among women aged 45+ years, were in the white population group, had higher education, were divorced, and had health insurance cover. The predominance of Pap smear test was 14% higher among women who are working in the professional/formal sector (AOR; 1.38, 95% CI; 1.14–1.69). The uptake of Pap smear test was also higher among women aged 35–44?years.
Conclusions:
The prevalence of cervical cancer uptake is substantially low among women aged 15–24?years in South Africa and shows a degree of between-provinces differences. Therefore, heath educational interventions aimed at increasing the uptake of cervical cancer screening services in South Africa are critically needed |
Web: |
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-12020-z#citeas |
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