Institutional and Demographic Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening among Women in Rivers State, Nigeria

Ohaka, Nhunanyachi; Okere, Godwin N; Asuzu, Nicholas C; Ekenedo, Golda. O.; Ukandu, Chidiebere P.; Walker, Doubrapade; Nwankwoala, Favour A. A. M.B.B.S; Agu, Benedicta N.; Okoroafor, Nkeiruka. L.; Charles-Unadike, Veronica O.; Obiechina, Georgy O.; Dike, Nancy. C.; Nwankwoala, Lynda C.; Rimande-Joel, Rosethe; Amakuro, Blessing. A.; Ugwuoke, Anthony C.; Joel, Chituru

doi:10.31557/APJCP.2026.27.10.3809

Institutional and Demographic Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening among Women in Rivers State, Nigeria

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

¹ Department of Health and Safety Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rivers State, Nigeria.

² Department of Public Health, Madonna University, Nigeria.

³ Department of Health Promotion, Environmental and Safety Education, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

⁴ Department of Health Education and Human Kinetics, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

⁵ University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia.

⁶ Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.

⁷ Department of Population and Behavioural Sciences, Fred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana.

⁸ Sexual and Gender Based Violence Unit, Orogbum Health Centre, Ogbunabali, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

⁹ Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Taraba State University, Jalingo, Nigeria.

¹⁰ Federal College of Education, Omoku, Rivers State, Nigeria.

10.31557/APJCP.2026.27.10.3809

Abstract

Objective: The global goal of reaching a 70% cervical cancer screening rate by 2030 can hardly be achieved in the presence of screening constraints, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This study investigated institutional and demographic barriers to cervical cancer screening among women in the Rivers East District of Rivers State, Nigeria. Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study sampled 1,200 respondents from a population of 3,871,377 women of reproductive age. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire with a reliability index of 0.83, obtained using Cronbach’s alpha. Data collected from the 1,182 valid returned questionnaires were analysed using SPSS version 27, with descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (multiple regression) at α = 0.05. Results: The findings of the study revealed that all institutional factors independently reduced screening uptake, R² = 0.271, F(4, 1179) = 109.83, p < 0.001; standardized effects were largest for health personnel unavailability (β = −0.203) and inconvenient clinic hours (β = −0.189). Demographic determinants were positively associated with uptake, R² = 0.296, F(4, 1179) = 123.34, p < 0.001, led by location (β = 0.231), religion (β = 0.218), age (β = 0.204), and marital status (β = 0.089). Conclusions: It was concluded that institutional and demographic factors constituted significant barriers to cervical cancer screening uptake among women in Rivers State and that government intervention is needed to increase staffing levels in screening centres and provide targeted outreach, especially in local communities.

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