UTILIZATION OF CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING SERVICE AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG HIV POSITIVE WOMEN ATTENDING ART CLINIC IN SOUTHERN TIGRAY-ETHIOPIA, 2024

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer is the second most cause of cancer deaths among reproductive age women in Ethiopia. It is six times more likely to occur in HIV positive than in the general population. Cervical cancer is both treatable and preventable if diagnosed and treated early. However, in Ethiopian among women who test positive for HIV, the utilization of cervical cancer screening is low. Its determinant factors were not well studied in the study area. This study aimed to assess utilization of CCS and the factors that influence its use among HIV-positive women receiving antiretroviral therapy at public health facilities. Objective: To assess cervical cancer screening service utilization and its associated factors among HIV positive women attending ART clinic in public health facilities Southern Tigray-Ethiopia, 2024. Methods and Material: Facility based cross sectional study design was conducted from May 30/2024 – July 30/2024. A total of 334 HIV positive women who come to the selected health facility in southern Tigray for HIV service were selected by systematic random sampling method. A pretested interviewer administer questionnaire was administered on 5% of the study participant. Data were collected by interviewer administer questionnaire; Collected were entered to Epi data version 7.2 and exported to SPSS version 27 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regressions was used to identify factors associated with outcome variable. Moreover, the final result was organized and presented in chart, diagram, graphic, textual and tabular form. Result: Among the 334 study participants, all of them involved in the study with the response rate of 100%. The magnitude of cervical cancer screening service among HIV positive women was 11.4% (95% CI: 8.1% - 15%). formal educational (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.2, 8.9), history of STI (AOR = 8.4; 95% CI: 2.2–32.32.), family history of cervical cancer (AOR = 7.73, 95% CI: 1.13– 52.65) and good knowledge (AOR = 15.07, 95%CI: 3.32–68.34) were found to be statistically significant. Conclusion and recommendation: the magnitude of cervical cancer screening service utilization among HIV positive women was very low. So, we suggest all health professional, world health organization and pathfinder international to work on community awareness creation and sensitization on cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening service