An unmet cancer screening need of HIV-positive women in southeastern Nigeria.

Abstract

CONTEXT: HIV infection and cervical cancer are common in Nigeria. HIV-positive women have a higher risk for cervical neoplasm; therefore, counseling and regular cervical cancer screening are recommended. After post-HIV testing counseling, HIV-positive women should be aware of the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. OBJECTIVE: To determine the coverage of cervical cancer screening information for HIV-positive women by the post-HIV testing counseling. METHODS: Questionnaires were administered to 150 HIV-positive women and 150 HIV-negative controls after post-HIV testing counseling at the voluntary counseling and testing clinic of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. Proportions of responses were compared by using a chi-square test at a 95% confidence level. RESULTS: Thirty-three (22.0%) HIV-positive women and 57 (38%) HIV-negative women were aware of cervical cancer. The awareness of the Pap smear among HIV-positive women (4.0%) was lower than that of HIV-negative women (21.3%) (P < .001). However, this finding became insignificant after adjustment for educational status groups (P > .05). No respondent agreed to being informed of Pap smears during post-HIV testing counseling. After counseling on cervical cancer, 96.0% of the HIV-positive group and 98.7% of the HIV-negative group expressed willingness to undergo routine Pap screening. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical cancer screening information is not part of post-HIV testing counseling for women in Enugu, southeastern Nigeria.