Abstract:

Background information: Recent evidence indicates that cervical cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women in Tanzania often due to late disease diagnosis. Early screening for the cancer has shown to be most effective measures against the disease. Studies conducted elsewhere have reported the lack of knowledge and negative attitudes towards cervical cancer as barriers to early screening despite presence of researches in Tanzania and even the beginning of implementation of vaccine and education to young women.

Materials and Methods: A community based descriptive cross-sectional study will be used to assess the knowledge and practice of cervical cancer screening in women of child bearing age at Bund district.

Significance of the study: The main objective of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of cervical cancer screening at Bunda district.

Results: Through this cross section study most of the participants (58.95%) level of education was primary school. 72.3% have ever heard of cervical cancer screening through the media, (32.7%) through the health facility and 28.7% through television and radios were only 16.3% of all participants have ever screened. Majority 83.7% of participants have never screened for cervical cancer.

Conclusion: 72.3% of women at Bunda District have ever heard about cervical cancer screening but only 16.3% of all the participants have ever screening for cervical cancer, most of them fail to screening due to the believe that the screening procedure is very painful.