Uptake of cervical cancer screening and associated factors among women living with HIV in Tanzania

Abstract

Cervical cancer screening (CCS) is essential for preventing cervical cancer and improving the health of women living with HIV (WLHIV). Yet, access remains limited in many African settings, including Tanzania. This study aimed to assess CCS uptake and associated factors among WLHIV in Tanzania, using secondary data from the Tanzania HIV Impact Survey (2022−2023). An analytical cross-sectional design was employed with a weighted sample of 1293 WLHIV, and analysis was conducted using Stata 18.0 with the “svy” command for sample weights. Modified Poisson regression was used to assess associations through adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The overall CCS uptake among WLHIV was 33% (95% CI = 29.4, 36.1). The study revealed higher CCS uptake among women aged 30−49 years (p < 0.001), those aged 50 and above (p < 0.001), those in urban settings (p < 0.001), from wealthy households (p = 0.042), married (p = 0.024) or separated (p = 0.027), receiving HIV care (p < 0.001), and residing in coastal areas (p = 0.044). These findings underscore the necessity of targeted interventions to improve CCS access for economically disadvantaged WLHIV and reduce disparities between rural and urban areas.