Evidence for the need of educational programs for cervical screening in rural Tanzania

The Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) in Tanzania sees about 3,000 new cancer patients annually, 47% of whom have advanced cervical cancer. We interviewed 98 women from the screening clinic and 49 women from the new cancer treatment clinic about their education, income, occupation, residence, medical history, and knowledge about cancer. Women in the screening clinic had higher socioeconomic levels, as shown by more education and employment than women in the new-patient clinic. Patients from the screening clinic were also younger, lived in near ORCI, and had better knowledge of cancer than women from the new-patient treatment clinic. Educational programs focused on the importance of cervical screening in rural remote areas of Tanzania may have a positive impact on the early detection and identification of patients at early disease stages.