title: Sociodemographic factors and delay in the diagnosis of cervical cancer in Morocco.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Morocco, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women. The cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed at a late stage: 43.7% presented at stage II of diagnosis (FIGO) and 38.1% in advanced stage (stage III and IV). The main objective of this study is to investigate factors associated to late the diagnosis of cervical cancer in Morocco as measured by the stage at diagnosis and delays between first symptoms and diagnosis of cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional studies, conducted from June-2008 to June-2010 at two main oncological centers. Two-hundred cases were recruited. Stages I & II were identified as "early-stage". The dates of first-symptoms, first-consultation and first-diagnosis were used to define "Patient", "Medical" and "Total" delays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated risks for late stage was observed for women unmarried (OR=5.0; 95%CI: 1.43-16.66); living > 100 km from center of diagnosis (OR=4.51; 95%CI: 1.35-15.11); without a familial history of cancer (OR=14.28; 95%CI: 2.22-100) and whose was the first symptom not bleeding (OR=25; 95%CI: 1.62-300). Frequency of housewives was significantly higher for women with a "patient-delay" ≥ 1 month. Frequency of patients who had symptoms of "bleeding" was significantly higher for women with a "patient-delay" <1 month. Frequency of patients from urban area was significantly higher for women with a "Medical-delay" < 1 month. Elevated risks for a long "Total-delay" was observed for women aged < 50 years (OR=2.44; 95%CI: 1.24-4.76); illiterate (OR = 3.85; 95%CI: 1.45-10.00) and from rural-area (OR=2.56; 95%CI: 1.25-5.26).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results may represent an important tool in guiding the actions for an early diagnosis of cervical cancer.
authors: Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie, Recherche Clinique et Santé Communautaire; Fès, Marocco.
authors: Mohamed
authors: M
authors: Berraho
authors: Majdouline
authors: M
authors: Obtel
authors: Karima
authors: K
authors: Bendahhou
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: Zidouh
authors: Hassan
authors: H
authors: Errihani
authors: Abdellatif
authors: A
authors: Benider
authors: Chakib
authors: C
authors: Nejjari
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*