Sociodemographic factors predicting cervical cancer screening in a peri-urban community in Ghana

Abstract

Background Cervical cancer is one of the few preventable cancers and screening is critical to the early detection of pre-cancerous lesions and initiation of treatment. This study’s aim was to determine the sociodemographic predictors of cervical cancer screening uptake in a peri-urban community in Ghana. Methods A total of 392 randomly selected sexually active women aged 10–74 years participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected using structured interview schedules. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the predictors of cervical cancer screening (significance set at P<0.05). Results Only three of the 392 participants had ever had a Pap smear test (0.8%). Women in monogamous relationships were more likely to have had a Pap smear test (P=0.001). There was a significant association between ethnicity (P=0.019), monthly family income (P=0.015) and religion (P=0.001) and having had a Pap smear test. Conclusions It is critical that interventions to increase the uptake of cervical cancer screening aim to reduce sociodemographic inequities, in order to promote women’s health.