Abstract:
Background: Worldwide cervical cancer is one of the more common forms of carcinoma among women, causing
high morbidity and high mortality. Despite being a major health problem in Tanzania, screening services for
cervical cancer are very limited, and uptake of those services is low. We therefore conducted a study to investigate
utilization of cancer screening services, and its associated factors among female primary school teachers in Ilala
Municipality, Dar es Salaam.
Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study between May – August 2011 which involved 110 primary schools
in Ilala Municipality in Dar es Salaam. Five hundred and twelve female primary school teachers were sampled using
a two-stage cluster sampling procedure. Data on utilization of cervical cancer and risk factors were collected using
a self-administered questionnaire. Proportional utilization of cervical cancer screening services was identified
through a self report. Risk factors for services utilization were assessed using logistic regression analyses.
Results: Out of 512 female primary school teachers, only 108 (21 %) reported to ever been screened for cervical
cancer.
Utilization of cervical cancer screening services was 28 % among those aged 20–29, 22 % among married and 24 %
among those with higher level of education. Women were more likely to utilize the cancer-screening service if they
were multiparous (age-adjusted OR = 3.05, 95 % CI 1.15–8.06, P value 0.025), or reported more than one lifetime
sexual partner (age-adjusted OR 2.17, 95 % CI 1.04–4.54, P value 0.038), or did not involve their spouse in making
health decisions (adjusted OR 3.56, 95 % CI 2.05–6.18, P value <0.001).
Conclusion: The study has demonstrated low level of utilization of cervical cancer screening service among female
primary school teachers in Ilala munipality. Female primary school teachers with more than one previous pregnancy
and those with more than one life-time sex partners were more likely to report utilization of the service. Spouse or
partners support was an important factor in the utilization of cervical cancer screening service amongst the study
population.
