| dc.description.abstract | Cancer remains the second most common cause of death among women globally, with
cervical cancer exhibiting the highest mortality rate among all cancer types. In Kenya,
cervical cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in women overall and
particularly affects those aged 15 to 44. Alarmingly, a growing number of healthcare
professionals are being diagnosed with cervical cancer. Despite being instrumental in
delivering cervical cancer screening services, few studies have examined the screening
behavior of healthcare workers themselves. This study aimed to determine the proportion
of healthcare providers who have undergone cervical cancer screening and to identify
individual and systemic factors that influence screening uptake. Conducted across various
hospitals in Siaya County—including Ambira, Madiany, Yala, Siaya County Referral,
Bondo, and Ukwala—the study employed a cross-sectional analytical approach. A total of
186 healthcare providers, including nurses, clinical officers, and medical officers from level
four hospitals, participated in the study. Both qualitative and quantitative data were
collected. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 28, incorporating
descriptive statistics such as measures of central tendency, dispersion, frequencies, and
percentages. To evaluate the determinants of cervical cancer screening uptake, bivariate
logistic regression was used, and odds ratios (OR) were calculated to measure the strength
of associations between variables. Qualitative responses were analyzed thematically, based
on the research objectives. The findings revealed that 77.4% of healthcare providers had
undergone cervical cancer screening, with the majority being screened between 2019 and
2022. Age significantly influenced screening behavior: individuals aged 20–29 were 60%
less likely to have been screened (OR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2–0.8; p = 0.009). Marital status also
played a role, with married healthcare providers nearly four times more likely to be screened
compared to those who were single or widowed (OR: 3.8; 95% CI: 1.9–7.9; p = 0.0002).
Parenthood was another factor, with those having no more than two children being three
times less likely to have participated in screening compared to those with more children
(OR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.2–0.7; p = 0.004). Additionally, psychological factors such as perceived
risk (OR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1–0.6; p = 0.003), confidence in one’s ability to act (self-efficacy)
(OR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1–0.6; p = 0.0008), and motivation through reminders or
encouragement (cue to action) (OR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.1–1.1; p = 0.09) were linked to screening
uptake. From a healthcare system perspective, both the availability of screening services
(OR: 4.4; 95% CI: 1.5–13.2; p = 0.004) and the perceived acceptability of these services
(OR: 5.0; 95% CI: 1.7–15.0; p = 0.001) significantly influenced participation rates. In
conclusion, although healthcare workers are central to the delivery of medical services, a
substantial portion have not undergone cervical cancer screening themselves. The study
identified key psychological and system-level predictors—such as perceived vulnerability,
self-confidence, motivation, service availability, and service acceptability—as crucial to
improving screening uptake. The research recommends targeted awareness campaigns and
designated sensitization days to increase understanding of cervical cancer risks among
healthcare providers and to encourage routine screening. | en_US |
