Predictors of cervical cancer screening intention of HIV-positive women in the central region of Ghana

BACKGROUND Cervical cancer affects women, especially those with HIV-positive status. This study hypothesised that more HIV-positive women with high cues about cervical cancer screening, high perceived susceptibility to cervical cancer, high perceived seriousness of cervical cancer, high perceived benefits of cervical cancer screening, and low perceived barriers about cervical cancer screening have intention to seek cervical cancer screening than HIV-positive women with low cues, low perceived susceptibility, low perceived seriousness, low perceived benefits, and high perceived barriers. METHODS A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 660 HIV-positive women aged 20 to 65 years using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Data were summarised using frequencies, percentages and binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS The findings showed that 82% (n = 540) of the respondents had intention to seek cervical cancer screening. The determinants of cervical cancer screening intention by HIV-positive women were cues, perceived seriousness and perceived benefits. Specifically, HIV-positive women with high cues were 3.48 times more likely to have intention to screen than those with low cues (95% CI, 1.43-8.49). Those with high perceived seriousness were 2.02 times more likely to have intention to screen than those with low perceived seriousness (95% CI, 1.24-3.30). Similarly, those with high perceived benefits were 1.7 times more likely to have intention to screen than those with low perceived benefits (95% CI, 1.05-2.71). However, perceived susceptibility (p = 0.063, OR 2.57, [95% CI, 0.95-6.93]) and perceived barriers (p = 0.969, OR = 1.01, [95% CI, 0.54-1.88]) were not statistically significant predictors of intention to seek cervical cancer screening in the sample studied. CONCLUSIONS Cervical cancer screening interventions for HIV-positive women need to have a strong focus on explaining the seriousness of the disease, benefits of screening, and increase cues about screening, as these factors could improve attitude towards cervical cancer screening and promote the health of high risk women.