Uptake of cervical cancer screening and its associated factors among women of reproductive age in Kericho County - Research Findings

Q: What was the screening uptake level reported in the study?

Screening uptake of cervical cancer was 16.2% (n=53; 95% CI: 10.5–23.4).

Q: Which factors significantly increased the odds of cervical cancer screening uptake?

Women aged 34 years and above, those with primary education, self-employed women, unemployed women, and those with a family history of cervical cancer had significantly higher odds of screening uptake.

Q: How did poor knowledge affect screening uptake?

Poor knowledge regarding risk factors, signs and symptoms, and groups at risk was associated with lower odds of cervical cancer screening.

Sep 22, 2026

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Cervical cancer remains a major public health challenge among women of reproductive age, and early detection through screening can prevent and cure the disease. This study assesses the uptake of cervical cancer screening and associated factors among women aged 18–49 in Bureti Constituency, Kericho County. An institution-based cross-sectional design surveyed 328 women attending maternal and child health clinics using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression in SPSS 26.0 were applied. Screening uptake was 16.2% (n=53; 95% CI: 10.5–23.4).

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study design and sampling

Data collection and analysis

Key findings and implications

OPEN ACCESS Citation: Wanzala J, Anino CO (2026) Uptake of cervical cancer screening and its associated factors among women of reproductive age in Kericho County. PLoS One 21(1): e0328614 . [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328614](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328614)[ ](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328614)[Editor:](Editor: Lucy W)[ Lucy W](Editor: Lucy W). Kivuti-Bitok, University of Nairobi, KENYA Received: July 11, 2025 Accepted: December 3, 2025 Published: January 22, 2026 Peer Review History: PLOS recognizes the benefits of transparency in the peer review process; therefore, we enable the publication of all of the content of peer review and author responses alongside final, published articles. The editorial history of this article is available here: [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal). pone.0328614 Copyright: © 2026 Wanzala, Anino. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. RESEARCH ARTICLE Uptake of cervical cancer screening and its associated factors among women of reproductive age in Kericho County Joel Wanzala☯, Calvince Otieno Anino☯* Public Health Department, University of Kabianga, Kericho, Kenya ☯ These authors contributed equally to this work. ¤ Current address: Department of Public Health, University of Kabianga, Kericho, Kenya * [calvinceanino@gmail.com](calvinceanino@gmail.com) Abstract Cervical cancer is a public health issue among reproductive-aged women worldwide. It is the second most common cancer among females and contributes to 12.9% of new cancer cases and 11.84% of all cancer deaths annually. Early detection and treatment can prevent and cure the disease. Screening among women has gained global attention since it’s a crucial step in early detection. This study investigated the level of uptake of cervical cancer screening and factors associated with the cervical cancer screening among women aged 18–49 years in Bureti Constituency, Kericho County. The study adopted an institution-based cross-sectional study design. The study used systematic random sampling technique to select 328 women aged 18–49 who attended maternal and child health clinic at Kapkatet Sub-County Hospital during study period. Data was collected using structured questionnaires, including sociodemographic, awareness and knowledge and screening uptake sections. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Descriptive analyses were performed to all the variables. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess factors associated with cervical cancer screening. The uptake of cervical cancer screening was 16.2%(n = 53, 95% CI: 10.5–23.4) . We found that being 34 years and above (aOR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.11–2.52, p < 0.001), having a primary education (aOR = 3.20, 95% CI: 1.50–7.00, p = 0.003), being self-employed (aOR = 5.20, 95% CI: 2.40–10.70, p < 0.001), or unemployed (aOR =7 .50, 95% CI: 2.45–25.00, p < 0.001), and having a family history of cervical cancer (aOR = 2. 10, 95% CI: 0.80–6.00, p = 0.015) significantly increased the odds of screening uptake. In contrast, earning an income of Ksh. 2,001–5,000 (aOR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.10–0.90, p = 0.016) or> Ksh. 10,000 (aOR = 0. 15, 95% CI: 0.06–0.33, p < 0.001) significantly decreased the odds of screening. Additionally, poor knowledge on risk factors (aOR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.28–0.65, p < 0.001), signs and symptoms (aOR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.10–0.70, p < 0.001), and groups at risk (aOR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.15–0.60, p < 0.001) were all associated with PLOS One | [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328614](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328614) January 22, 2026 1 / 11 Data availability statement: All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files. Funding: The author(s) rec

FAQs

What was the screening uptake level reported in the study?

Screening uptake of cervical cancer was 16.2% (n=53; 95% CI: 10.5–23.4).

Which factors significantly increased the odds of cervical cancer screening uptake?

Women aged 34 years and above, those with primary education, self-employed women, unemployed women, and those with a family history of cervical cancer had significantly higher odds of screening uptake.

How did poor knowledge affect screening uptake?

Poor knowledge regarding risk factors, signs and symptoms, and groups at risk was associated with lower odds of cervical cancer screening.

Sep 22, 2026

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