Abstract
Globally, cervical cancer constitutes a substantial public health concern. Evidence recommends regular cervical cancer screening (CCS) for early detection of “precancerous lesions.”Understanding the factors influencing screening participation among various groups is imperative for improving screening protocols and coverage. This study aimed to explore barriers and facilitators to CCS participation in women of Nigerian, Ghanaian, Cameroonian, and Kenyan origin in Finland. We utilized a qualitative design and conducted eight focus group discussions (FGDs) in English, with women aged 27–45 years (n = 30). The FGDs were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed utilizing the inductive content analysis approach. The main barriers to CCS participation included limited language proficiency, lack of screening awareness, misunderstanding of screening’s purpose, and miscomprehension of the CCS results. Facilitators were free-of-charge screening, reproductive health services utilization, and women’s understanding of CCS’s importance for early detection of cervical cancer. In conclusion, among women, the main barriers to CCS participation were language difficulties and lack of screening information. Enhancing screening participation amongst these migrant populations would benefit from appropriate information about the CCS. Those women with limited language skills and not utilizing reproductive health services need more attention from healthcare authorities about screening importance. Culturally tailored screening intervention programs might also be helpful.
Highlights
Cervical cancer (CC) is a commonly diagnosed disease and the leading cause of cancer death amongst women; it is a significant global public health concern [1,2,3].Data from 2018 indicated that nearly 90% of deaths resulting from the disease were reported from low-and-middle-income-countries (LMICs) [1,3], probably due to limited screening access and the influences of several “social determinants of health” in the LMICs [4,5]
Enhancing screening participation amongst these migrant populations would benefit from appropriate information about the cancer screening (CCS)
30 women participated in the study, with over half (n = 19) reported having participated regularly in CCS in Finland
Summary
Cervical cancer (CC) is a commonly diagnosed disease and the leading cause of cancer death amongst women; it is a significant global public health concern [1,2,3]. Data from 2018 indicated that nearly 90% of deaths resulting from the disease were reported from low-and-middle-income-countries (LMICs) [1,3], probably due to limited screening access and the influences of several “social determinants of health” in the LMICs [4,5]. Cervical cancer screening (CCS) is recommended for all eligible, “at-risk” women for early detection of “precancerous lesions” as a way of reducing new cases and deaths from the disease [6,8]. Women’s active participation and adherence to the screening recommendations are required to achieve these goals. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 7473; doi:10.3390/ijerph17207473 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
