Precancerous cervical lesion and its associated factors among HIV-infected women on ART in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia: A hospital-based cross-sectional study
Abstract
Objective: Cervical cancer, which is caused by human papillomavirus, is one of the common cancers in women worldwide. The proportion of precancerous cervical lesion among HIV-infected women has not been investigated yet in this study area. The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of precancerous cervical lesion and its associated factors among HIV-infected women on ART in Woldia and Dessie Hospitals, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 284 HIV-infected women. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and visual inspection. Pap smear test was employed for confirmation of cancer. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize findings. A logistic regression model was considered to identify predictors of precancerous cervical lesions. Those predictor variables with P < 0.05 at a 95% confidence interval were considered as statistically significant.
Results: The overall proportion of the precancerous cervical lesion among HIV-infected women in this study was 9.9%. The HIV-infected women with age greater than 30 years old, who were single in their marital status, being commercial sex worker, who had any other sexually transmitted infection, those with more than one sexual partner, with more than two children and with vaginal wall abnormality were factors associated with the occurrence of precancerous cervical lesion.
Conclusion: The proportion of precancerous cervical lesion among HIV-infected women was low compared to some previous studies conducted in Ethiopia. Therefore, regular screening of HIV-infected women for precancerous cervical lesion is very important by giving especial consideration to the identified associated factors.
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