Abstract
BackgroundCervical cancer affects women, especially those with HIV-positive status. This study hypothesised that more HIV-positive women with high cues about cervical cancer screening, high perceived susceptibility to cervical cancer, high perceived seriousness of cervical cancer, high perceived benefits of cervical cancer screening, and low perceived barriers about cervical cancer screening have intention to seek cervical cancer screening than HIV-positive women with low cues, low perceived susceptibility, low perceived seriousness, low perceived benefits, and high perceived barriers.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 660 HIV-positive women aged 20 to 65 years using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Data were summarised using frequencies, percentages and binary logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe findings showed that 82% (n = 540) of the respondents had intention to seek cervical cancer screening. The determinants of cervical cancer screening intention by HIV-positive women were cues, perceived seriousness and perceived benefits. Specifically, HIV-positive women with high cues were 3.48 times more likely to have intention to screen than those with low cues (95% CI, 1.43–8.49). Those with high perceived seriousness were 2.02 times more likely to have intention to screen than those with low perceived seriousness (95% CI, 1.24–3.30). Similarly, those with high perceived benefits were 1.7 times more likely to have intention to screen than those with low perceived benefits (95% CI, 1.05–2.71). However, perceived susceptibility (p = 0.063, OR 2.57, [95% CI, 0.95–6.93]) and perceived barriers (p = 0.969, OR = 1.01, [95% CI, 0.54–1.88]) were not statistically significant predictors of intention to seek cervical cancer screening in the sample studied.ConclusionsCervical cancer screening interventions for HIV-positive women need to have a strong focus on explaining the seriousness of the disease, benefits of screening, and increase cues about screening, as these factors could improve attitude towards cervical cancer screening and promote the health of high risk women.
Highlights
IntroductionThe two hospital-based cancer registries in Ghana are in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi
Cervical cancer affects women, especially those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive status
It further demonstrated that HIV-positive women with low cues, low perceived seriousness of the disease and low perceived benefits may not engage in cervical cancer screening
Summary
The two hospital-based cancer registries in Ghana are in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. These cancer registries are limited as they only capture cancer cases that report to these facilities. There is high incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer in sub-Saharan cultures, screening for early detection of precancerous lesions are not frequently done. HIV-positive women should screen for cervical cancer due to the high prevalence that has been observed, and the faster advancement of cervical precancerous lesions among this population [9]
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