Publications

Cervical cancer stands as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women inUganda, with a prevalence rate of 48/100,000, one of the world's highest. Tragically, over80% of cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, limiting treatment options. Early detectionthrough screening among women aged 25 and above, followed by prompt treatment, canprevent most cases. This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practicesconcerning cervical cancer screening among female patients at Comboni Hospital.Conducted as a cross-sectional descriptive study, it involved 350 women aged 20-49seeking healthcare services at the hospital. Data collection employed a pretestedquestionnaire, and analysis utilized IBM SPSS version 25. The respondents, with a mean ageof 31.73 years, were predominantly married (76.6%) and self-employed (42.9%), with 22.3%having completed tertiary education. While 92.3% were aware of cervical cancer, only 46%had contemplated undergoing screening, and merely 26.3% had been screened. Mediaserved as the primary information source for 53.7% of participants, and half of thosescreened did so due to healthcare workers' advice. Barriers to screening included high costs(27.7%), fear of positive results (14.6%), and apprehension about the screening process itself(14.3%). Despite a high level of awareness about cervical cancer, low screening uptake wasattributed to the expense and unavailability of services. To improve access, the governmentshould decentralize screening services to lower-tier health centers by training andequipping lower-level healthcare workers, particularly midwives. This strategy aims toovercome barriers and enhance screening accessibility for a larger population.Keywords: knowledge, attitude, practice, cervical cancer.