Adherence to screening appointments in a cervical cancer clinic serving HIV-positive women in Botswana.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The link between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and cervical cancer is of particular concern in Botswana, where one in four women at risk for cervical cancer is HIV-positive. In settings where co-occurrence of these diseases is high, adherence to screening appointments is essential to ensure detection and early treatment.

Methods

This study took place in a cervical cancer-screening program in an HIV clinic in Botswana. Data for this analysis came from 1789 patient records and 257 semi-structured surveys about the screening consent process that were completed by a subset of patients.

Results

Forty percent of women kept their scheduled follow-up appointments. Findings suggest that women treated at first visit or referred for additional treatment due to th

SUBMITTER: Barchi F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6423763 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature