Utilisation of cervical cancer screening and factors associated with screening utilisation among women aged 30–49 years in Mertule Mariam Town, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, in 2021: a cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVE: To assess the practice of cervical cancer screening and its associated factors among women aged 30–49 years. DESIGN: Community-based cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Mertule Mariam Town, Northwest Ethiopia, 1 May–20 June 2021. PARTICIPANTS: Women aged 30–49 years who were living in the study area were eligible for inclusion. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select study participants. A total of 488 respondents participated in the study. Data were collected by using interviewer-administered structured questionnaires. Data were entered into EpiData V.3.1 and then exported to SPSS V.25 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done. OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of cervical cancer screening and factors associated with screening utilisation. RESULTS: The prevalence of cervical cancer screening was found to be 14.1%. Age (≤16 years) at first sexual intercourse (adjusted OR 14.89, 95% CI 6.21 to 35.74), history of sexually transmitted disease (11.65, 4.56 to 29.78), having multiple sexual partners (11.65, 4.56 to 29.78), having good knowledge about cervical cancer screening (4.72, 2.33 to 9.56) and having a family history of cervical cancer (4.72, 2.33 to 9.56) were statistically significantly associated factors for utilisation of cervical cancer screening. CONCLUSION: Utilisation of cervical cancer screening was low in Northwest Ethiopia. Educational status, age at first sexual intercourse, history of multiple sexual partners, sexually transmitted disease, family history of cervical cancer and knowledge about cervical cancer screening were significant factors for utilisation of cervical cancer screening.