Cervical cancer is preventable. But are women getting the opportunity to benefit from prevention?

The study examined cervical cancer screening among women of reproductive age in Tanzania using nationally representative data from the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey.

And the findings are striking; Only 7.2% of women aged 15-49 years reported having ever been screened for cervical cancer.

The study further revealed important inequalities in screening uptake. Screening was more common among older women, those with higher education, women from wealthier households, those who had recently visited a health facility, and women living in urban areas. In contrast, women living in rural areas had 36% lower odds of screening compared with their urban counterparts.

Cervical cancer prevention is not only about having screening services available, it is also about ensuring that women can reach, afford, understand, and use those services.

Summary as published by the college when announcing this work. See the journal article for the full abstract.