Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Services

Advisor

RICHARD PALMER

Abstract

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women of all age groups in Zimbabwe, and mortality and incidence continue to increase. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to assess the factors that influence the utilization of cervical cancer screening services by Zimbabwean women living in Harare, Zimbabwe. Because personal beliefs influence screening, this study was guided by the health belief model (HBM). A total of 394 women whose ages ranged from 18 to 65 years were recruited from a health care facility in Harare. A 40-item closed-ended questionnaire was used to assess participants' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and cervical screening practices. Descriptive analysis was used to characterize the sample, and logistic regression was used to explore the effects of the hypothesized predictor variables. Results indicated that the strongest predictors of screening were monthly income, marital status, and the HBM construct perceived barriers. The study may promote positive social change as findings may be used to formulate policies that may encourage women to adopt preventive screening practices, which may save lives and reduce costs associated with treating cervical cancer when diagnosed at an advanced stage.

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