A Prospective Study of Eastern Indian Cervical Cancer Screening Practices and Related Factors

Abstract

Background- An estimated 120,000 Indian women are affected by uterine cervical cancer each year, which is a serious health issue for them. Although cervical cancer is less common in urban settings, it is still very common in rural areas.

Objectives- this study intends to evaluate the cervical cancer screening behaviors of women in Eastern India and pinpoint the sociodemographic characteristics linked to these practices.

Materials and methods- The design of the study was prospective which took place at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College & Hospital, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India. The study has been conducted for 11 months, i.e., from 24^th January 2019 to 31^st December 2019. Overall, 125 patients were enrolled in the study.

Results- The average age of all the participants was 38.2±7.4. Most of the patients included in the study are from rural areas with 75 (60%), and the rest 50 (40%) are from urban areas. Most of the included patients were from middle-class families and the least were from high-class families. Age among participants who were screened and who were never screened was found to be significant. There was a significant difference observed between socioeconomic status and educational level between the groups of screened and not screened patients respectively.

Conclusion- The study concluded that Eastern India had below-optimal screening rates of cancer of the cervix, especially for women from rural areas, those with lower educational attainment, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.