The Socioeconomic Impact of Cervical Cancer on Patients in Ethiopia: Evidence from Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is very common among women living in low-resource environments, according to the literature. About 85% of the cases and 88% of the deaths due to cervical cancer occurred in developing countries. Women in low- and middle-income countries have a 35% higher average life risk of cervical cancer than women in high-income countries. However, research on the socioeconomic impact of cervical cancer on patients is virtually absent in the country. OBJECTIVE: To assess the socioeconomic impact of cervical cancer on patients at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2021. METHODS: Institutional based cross-sectional study design was employed. A structured and semi-structured questionnaire was used. The participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The collected data was entered and analyzed using the SPSS version 24 statistical software package. RESULTS: Out of 423 sampled respondents, 416 agreed to participate in the study and the response rate was 98%. The study revealed that cervical cancer has a social impact on patients in terms of social discrimination 61.8%, loss of body image 63%, loss of sexual functioning 78%, and loss of femininity 89%. It has also an economic impact in terms of loss of income of 45.7%, financial distress due to medical and nonmedical expenditures 71%, work and employment challenges 66.8%. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Cervical cancer has an enormous socioeconomic impact on patients in terms of social discrimination, loss of body image, loss of sexual functioning, loss of femininity, loss of income, financial distress, work and employment challenges. Hence, efforts on reduction of social discrimination, psychotherapy support, and financial support are needed to limit the socioeconomic impact of cervical cancer on patients.