Prevalence and Predictors of Cervical Cancer Screening Uptake in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa, where it disproportionately affects women due to late-stage diagnoses. Despite the availability of preventive measures such as screening and HPV vaccination, uptake remains critically low. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence and identify key predictors of cervical cancer screening uptake across Sub-Saharan Africa. A comprehensive search of databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, African Journal Online (AJOL) and ScienceDirect identified 27 studies involving a total of 357,586 women. Our results revealed that the overall prevalence of cervical cancer screening uptake was 21.2% (95% CI: 16.2%, 27.2%). Key predictors of uptake included education, healthcare access, awareness of cervical cancer, age, and integration with other health services like HIV care. This study underscores the urgent need for tailored interventions to address barriers such as lack of awareness, financial constraints, and cultural stigma. The findings provide crucial evidence to guide policy and public health strategies aimed at increasing screening rates and reducing the cervical cancer burden in the region.