IARC 60th Anniversary - 19-21 May 2026
Session : 20/05/26 - Posters
Perspectives of Women and Healthcare Providers on Facilitators and Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening in the Rural Kilimanjaro Region Tanzania:
MACHANGE R. 1,2,3, NJAU B. 1,3, MTUYA C. 1, KATITI V. 1, MASIKA L. 2,3, MCHOME B. 1,2,3, KANTELHARDT E. 6, KABA M. 7, MMBAGA B. 1,2,3, MUSHI D. 1, BJÖRLING G. 1,4,5, MANONGI R. 1,2,3
1 KCMC University P.O. Box 2240, Moshi, Tanzania; 2 Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, PO Box 3010, Moshi, Tanzania; 3 Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, P.O. Box 2236, Moshi, Tanzania; 4 Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society , Stockholm, Sweden; 5 Jönköping University, School of Health and Welfare, , Jönköping, Sweden; 6 Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Gynecology,, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany; 7 School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University,, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Perspectives of Women and Healthcare Providers on Facilitators and Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening in the Rural Kilimanjaro Region Tanzania: A Qualitative Study
Background: Cervical cancer can be prevented and treated if detected early through regular screening. However, 88% of women aged 30 to 49 have never been screened in Tanzania.
Objective: This study explored the facilitators and barriers to cervical cancer screening among women and healthcare providers in rural Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. We used the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behavior (COM-B) model to identify, code, and synthesize behavioral facilitators and barriers to cervical cancer screening.
Methods: An exploratory study design was conducted from March to September 2024 in the Rombo and Moshi rural districts. It involved six focus group discussions with screened and non-screened women aged 30–50 and twelve individual interviews with healthcare providers providing cervical cancer screening services. Participants were purposively selected. Data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically using qualitative data analysis software (QDA Miner Lite v2.0.8).
Results: A total of fifty-four women and twelve healthcare providers were recruited. Four main themes emerged: knowledge about cervical cancer and screening, the power of social influence, emotional and structural influences on cervical cancer screening, and enhancing cervical cancer screening uptake. The findings highlighted several barriers to cervical cancer screening, including limited knowledge, misconceptions, fear of pain and positive results, limited access to screening services, and a shortage of trained providers. Despite these challenges, social support from family, peers, community leaders, and healthcare providers' educational efforts (physical and social opportunity) was identified as a strong facilitator.
Conclusions: Cervical cancer screening can be improved by strengthening facilitators and addressing existing barriers. The findings highlight the need for theory-based interventions that incorporate education, community engagement, and health system improvements to increase screening uptake in rural communities.