Role of awareness on cervical cancer screening uptake among HIV positive women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the second commonest cancer among women living in less developed countries. Although cervical cancer screening for HIV-infected women has been started in different centers in Addis Ababa, there is a paucity of data on the uptake of this service, particularly among HIV-infected women. OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed to assess the level and determinants of cervical cancer screening uptake among HIV-positive reproductive-age women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire on 411 HIV-infected women aged 15–49 years in St. Paul’s and Zewditu Hospitals. Data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire on randomly selected study participants’ proportional allocation in the two hospitals. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess predictors of cervical cancer screening uptake. RESULTS: Only 25.5% of HIV-positive reproductive-age women have been screened for cervical cancer. Respondents who have not heard about cervical cancer and the screening were 75% and 78% less likely to be screened compared to their counterparts, respectively. CONCLUSION: The uptake of cervical cancer screening was low in the study area. Awareness about cervical cancer screening was positively associated with cervical cancer screening uptake. Specific awareness programs focusing HIV positive women need to be implemented.