Factors affecting one-year follow-up visit after cryotherapy among women in Cte dIvoire: A retrospective cohort analysis

Abstract

Cervical cancer screening program based on a single visit approach through visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and cryotherapy is scaled up since 2012 in Cote d’Ivoire. To assess factors affecting one-year follow-up visit after cryotherapy, a retrospective cohort analysis was performed among all women tested positive and treated by cryotherapy in cervical cancer units in Abidjan from 2010 to 2014. A logistic regression analysis was used to assess factors affecting one-year follow-up attendance after cryotherapy. A total of 618 women, with median age 35 [interquartile range: (29-45)], including 362 (58.6%) HIV positive women received a cryotherapy. In multivariate analysis, being over 40 years old (aOR=3.5; 95%CI [1.9-6.6]), living with HIV (aOR=3.8; 95%CI [2.3-6.3]), attending a screening facility near district of location (aOR=2.2; 95%CI [1.2-3.3]), or HIV clinics for VIA [aOR=2.3; 95%CI (1.4-3.7)] were associated with one-year follow-up visit after cryotherapy. Close follow-up of patient as implemented in HIV clinics and geographic accessibility of cervical cancer screening units are increasing the one-year follow-up after cryotherapy. Systematic integration of cervical cancer screening into health facilities and sustainable strategies to maintain close contact with women could improve follow-up of women and avoid occurrence of cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. Key words: Cervical cancer screening, visual inspection, cryotherapy, follow-up.