Sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive risk factors and cervical cancer screening outcomes among women participating in community-based screening in rural Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality among women in sub-Saharan Africa. Community-based screening has been shown to be a key strategy to improve screening and vaccination coverage, particularly in underserved rural populations. To describe the sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics of women reached during a community-based cervical cancer screening programme in rural communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study of 683 women who participated in a community-based cervical cancer screening outreach in rural Ebonyi State communities, Nigeria, was conducted. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive history, awareness, and screening outcomes, and analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression; statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The mean age of participants was 43.2 ± 10.7 years, with the 40–49-year age group comprising the largest proportion (40.1%). Most participants were married (89.6%), in monogamous unions (75.4%), and of Igbo ethnicity (97.8%). Tertiary education was the most common academic level attained (33.2%), though 17.4% had no formal education. High parity (≥ 5) was observed in the majority (53.7%) of participants, with a mean parity of 5.27 ± 2.80. Early sexual debut (≤ 14 years) occurred in 20.8% of participants. Awareness of cervical cancer screening was low (17.1%), and only 25.5% knew HPV as a causative agent. The screen positivity rate was 13.2%. Awareness of screening (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.08–3.07, p = 0.023) and awareness of HPV (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.09–2.81, p = 0.019) were significantly associated with test positivity (Table 6). Women reached through community-based cervical cancer screening in rural Ebonyi communities exhibited high-risk reproductive profiles and low awareness of cervical cancer prevention. Community outreach remains a critical strategy for improving screening coverage and addressing disparities in cervical cancer prevention.