Acceptability of artificial intelligence for cervical cancer screening in Dschang, Cameroon - a qualitative study on patient perspectives

Sep 21, 2026

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Cervical cancer remains a major concern for women, with most deaths occurring in low- and middle-income settings such as Cameroon. Visual inspection with acetic acid is commonly used but may have limited accuracy, motivating development of an automated, smartphone-based AI image classifier as a computer-aided diagnosis tool. The study explores women’s acceptability and perspectives in Dschang and identifies preferred information formats about AI-enabled screening. Qualitative focus groups and interviews were analyzed using a Technology Acceptance Model adaptation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages11

Reading Time28 min

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Sachdeva et al. Reproductive Health (2024) 21:92 [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-024-01828-8](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-024-01828-8) Reproductive Health RESEARCH Open Access Acceptability of artificial intelligence for cervical cancer screening in Dschang, Cameroon: a qualitative study on patient perspectives Malika Sachdeva1*, Alida Moukam Datchoua2,3, Virginie Flore Yakam2, Bruno Kenfack2, Magali Jonnalagedda‑Cattin4,5, Jean‑Philippe Thiran4, Patrick Petignat6 and Nicole Christine Schmidt6,7 Abstract Background Cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer among women, with 90% of cervical cancer‑related deaths occurring in low‑ and middle‑income countries like Cameroon. Visual inspection with acetic acid is often used in low‑resource settings to screen for cervical cancer; however, its accuracy can be limited. To address this issue, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne and the University Hospitals of Geneva are collaborat‑ ing to develop an automated smartphone‑based image classifier that serves as a computer aided diagnosis tool for cancerous lesions. The primary objective of this study is to explore the acceptability and perspectives of women in Dschang regarding the usage of a screening tool for cervical cancer relying on artificial intelligence. A secondary objective is to understand the preferred form and type of information women would like to receive regarding this artificial intelligence‑based screening tool. Methods A qualitative methodology was employed to gain better insight into the women’s perspectives. Partici‑ pants, aged between 30 and 49 were invited from both rural and urban regions and semi‑structured interviews using a pre‑tested interview guide were conducted. The focus groups were divided on the basis of level of education, as well as HPV status. The interviews were audio‑recorded, transcribed, and coded using the ATLAS.ti software. Results A total of 32 participants took part in the six focus groups, and 38% of participants had a primary level of education. The perspectives identified were classified using an adapted version of the Technology Acceptance Model. Key factors influencing the acceptability of artificial intelligence include privacy concerns, perceived use‑ fulness, and trust in the competence of providers, accuracy of the tool as well as the potential negative impact of smartphones. Conclusion The results suggest that an artificial intelligence‑based screening tool for cervical cancer is mostly acceptable to the women in Dschang. By ensuring patient confidentiality and by providing clear explanations, accept‑ ance can be fostered in the community and uptake of cervical cancer screening can be improved. *Correspondence: Malika Sachdeva [mlksachdeva@gmail.com](mlksachdeva@gmail.com) Full list of author information is available at the end of the article © The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ()[. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public

FAQs

What was the main objective of the study in Dschang, Cameroon?

To explore women’s acceptability and perspectives on using an artificial intelligence-based tool for cervical cancer screening. It also sought women’s preferences for the type and form of information they would like to receive about the tool.

How was the research conducted?

A qualitative methodology used semi-structured interviews with participants aged 30–49 from rural and urban regions. Six focus groups were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded with ATLAS.ti.

Which factors influenced acceptability of AI-based cervical cancer screening?

Privacy concerns, perceived usefulness, trust in providers’ competence, the tool’s accuracy, and worries about the potential negative impact of smartphones were identified as key factors.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Aria