About 60% of women aged 25-61 from Moldova, who should have a cervical screening test every three years to prevent cervical cancer, have never performed such a test. Most of them are from the South of the country, but also from low-income families. The data is contained in the first national study on knowledge, attitudes and practices on cervical cancer prevention that was launched in Chisinau on November 28, IPN reports.
Cervical cancer can easily be prevented by performing cervical screening tests every three years by women aged 25-61. In the Republic of Moldova, this kind of screening can be done free of charge at the family doctor.
However, the study shows that only one-fourth of women in this age group know about the possibility of having this test, and less than half of those know that the test can be done for free. This is especially the case for women with a low income background. And the number of women who know that the test is done every three years is even lower, with many of them doing it either more often (once a year) or more seldom (once every 4-5 years) than recommended by specialists.
76% of women who performed the test did so at the suggestion of the medical staff and only 22% on the own initiative. Specialists also represent women’s main source of information about cervical cancer screening with only 18% of women choosing media as their source of information. When asked about the barriers that prevent them from performing the cervical screening test, most women mentioned the lack of time, fear, but also lack of knowledge where to perform the test. At the same time, most of them would prefer to be invited to a screening by a phone call, or during a visit to the family doctor.
”International evidence demonstrates that almost all cases of cervical cancer can be prevented if there are well-organized cervical screening programs. UNFPA will continue to support the cervical screening program in the Republic of Moldova and call on all partners to join these efforts in order for each girl and woman to be protected from cervical cancer,” said Rita Columbia, UNFPA Representative in Moldova.
The study has a margin error of +/- 2.8% and was carried out by Magenta Consulting company, under the leadership of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection, with the support of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation as part of the project “Prevention of cervical cancer in the Republic of Moldova”. It covered a sample of 1,226 women, including a qualitative component of focus groups and in-depth interviews with 51 women (25-61 years), 40 doctors and 15 public health experts.
