Cervical Cancer Screening Practice and Associated Factors Among Women Employees in Wolaita Zone Hospitals, Southern Ethiopia, 2017

Abstract Background: Cervical cancer is a global public health problem accounting for the fourth most common cancer-affecting women worldwide with 527,624 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 265,672 die from the disease annually worldwide. Cervical cancer screening offers protective benefits and is associated with a reduction in the incidence of invasive cervical cancer and cervical cancer mortality. But there is very low participation rate in screening practice for cervical cancer in low-resource countries like Ethiopia. So the aims of this study is to assess cervical cancer screening practice and associated factors among women employees in Wolaita Zone hospitals, southern Ethiopia, 2017Methods: Facility based cross-sectional study design was conducted among age eligible women employees in Wolaita zone hospitals from March 1 -April 30, 2017. Sample size was allocated using probability proportionate allocation and finally simple random sampling technique was employed to select 401 study participants. Pre-tested semi-structured self-administered questionnaire was used. Data was entered and cleaned using Epi-data3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Logistic regression was performed to assess association between dependent and independent variables with 95% CI and p- value less than 0.05 was set to declare association.Results: About 120(30.5%) participants were screened for cervical cancer. Age (AOR=2.842(1.616, 5.00)), source of information from health professions, (AOR=3.301(1.899, 5.737)), being adherence supporter, (AOR= 3.741(1.414,9.899)),sex with more than one partner,(AOR=2.289(1.116,4.362) ,STI(AOR=3.13(1.784,5.493), increase in attitude score towards cervical cancer screening (AOR=1.468(1.334, 1.616)), increase in knowledge score (AOR=1.267(1.92, 1.346)) were significant predictors of cervical cancer screening practice.Conclusion: Magnitude of cervical cancer screening practice among age eligible women is still low. Age of the women, being adherence supporter, and source of information from health care professionals, history of multiple sexual partners, sexually transmitted disease, Knowledge and attitude were important predictors of cervical cancer screening practice. Hospitals in collaboration with town administration should put priority on cervical cancer prevention by establishing cervical cancer screening campaign.