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- Title
Cervical cancer knowledge and barriers and facilitators to screening among women in two rural communities in Guatemala: a qualitative study.
- Authors
Bevilacqua, Kristin G.; Gottschlich, Anna; Murchland, Audrey R.; Alvarez, Christian S.; Rivera-Andrade, Alvaro; Meza, Rafael
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>Approximately 80% of deaths due to cervical cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries. In Guatemala, limited access to effective screening and treatment has resulted in alarmingly high cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates. Despite access to free-of-cost screening, women continue to face significant barriers in obtaining screening for cervical cancer.<bold>Methods: </bold>In-depth interviews (N = 21) were conducted among women in two rural communities in Guatemala. Interviews followed a semi-structured guide to explore knowledge related to cervical cancer and barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening.<bold>Results: </bold>Cervical cancer knowledge was variable across sites and across women. Women reported barriers to screening including ancillary costs, control by male partners, poor provider communication and systems-level resource constraints. Facilitators to screening included a desire to know one's own health status, conversations with other women, including community health workers, and extra-governmental health campaigns.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Findings speak to the many challenges women face in obtaining screening for cervical cancer in their communities as well as existing facilitators. Future interventions must focus on improving cervical cancer-related knowledge as well as mitigating barriers and leveraging facilitators to promote screening.
- Subjects
GUATEMALA; MEDICAL screening; EARLY detection of cancer; RESEARCH funding; CERVIX uteri tumors; RURAL population
- Publication
BMC Women's Health, 2022, Vol 22, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
1472-6874
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1186/s12905-022-01778-y