title: Motivations and preferences of rural Nigerian women undergoing cervical cancer screening via visual inspection with acetic acid.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the motivations and preferences of women participating in visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) mass cervical cancer screening programs in southeastern Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  By means of interviewer-based questionnaires, data were collected from women participating in mass cervical cancer screenings with VIA in 3 randomly selected communities in each of 2 southeastern Nigerian states between March 1, 2011, and March 31, 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2312 women were interviewed. Support from husband and community opinion leaders were the most frequently reported factors that motivated the women to participate in the screening. Most participants expected an immediate result for the screening test and immediate treatment for any abnormalities detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Community-based advocacy for cervical cancer screening is a very effective method of creating awareness for cervical cancer screening. Support from spouses and community leaders are important factors in a woman's decision to utilize cervical cancer screening services in southeastern Nigeria. Immediate results and treatments would make the most impact. Family and community participation should be integrated into cervical cancer prevention programs. This, together with a "see and treat" approach, may be central to overcoming the poor utilization of cervical cancer screening services in Nigeria and similar rural settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Nigeria. chchigbu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Chibuike O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Chigbu
authors.forename: Azubuike K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Onyebuchi
authors.forename: Leonard O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Ajah
authors.forename: Elijah N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Onwudiwe
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid; D000328:Adult; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009549:Nigeria; D057240:Patient Preference; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012424:Rural Population; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D019342:Acetic Acid