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Background: This study was conducted to identify barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening, diagnosis, follow‐up care, and treatment among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐infected women and clinicians and to explore the acceptability of patient navigators in Tanzania. Materials and Methods: In 2012, we conducted four focus groups, two with HIV‐positive women and two with clinicians who perform cervical cancer screening, diagnosis, follow‐up care, and treatment. Transcriptions were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings from the patient focus groups indicate the prevalence of fear and stigma surrounding cervical cancer as well as a lack of information and access to screening and treatment. The clinician focus groups identified numerous barriers to screening, diagnosis, follow‐up care, and treatment. Participants in both types of groups agreed that a patient navigation program would be an effective way to help women navigate across the cancer continuum of care including screening, diagnosis, follow‐up care, and treatment. Conclusion: Given the fear, stigma, misinformation, and lack of resources surrounding cervical cancer, it is not surprising that patient navigation would be welcomed by patients and providers. Implications for Practice: This article identifies specific barriers to cervical cancer screening and treatment from the perspectives of both clinicians and patients in Tanzania and describes the acceptability of the concept of patient navigation. Considering the high incidence of cervical cancer among HIV‐infected women in Tanzania and the documented benefits of patient navigation in improving screening rates and treatment, this article identifies barriers to cervical cancer screening and treatment and explores the role of patient navigators to implement improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tanzania has the highest burden of cervical cancer in East Africa. This study aims to identify perceived barriers and facilitators that influence scale-up of regional and population-level cervical cancer screening and treatment programs in Tanzania. Convenience sampling was used to select participants for this qualitative study among 35 key informants. Twenty-eight stakeholders from public-sector health facilities, academia, government, and nongovernmental organizations completed in-depth interviews, and a seven-member municipal health management team participated in a focus group discussion. The investigation identified themes related to the infrastructure of health services for cervical cancer prevention, service delivery, political will, and sociocultural influences on screening and treatment. Decentralizing service delivery, improving access to screening and treatment, increasing the number of trained health workers, and garnering political will were perceived as key facilitators for enhancing and initiating screening and treatment services. In conclusion, participants perceived that system-level structural factors should be addressed to expand regional and population-level service delivery of screening and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify barriers to cervical cancer screening and treatment, and determine acceptance toward peer navigators (PNs) to reduce barriers.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among women with HIV infection aged 19 years or older attending HIV clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, between May and August 2012. Data for sociodemographic characteristics, barriers, knowledge and attitude toward cervical cancer screening and treatment, and PNs were collected by questionnaire.Results: Among 399 participants, only 36 (9.0%) reported previous cervical cancer screening. A higher percentage of screened than unscreened women reported being told about screening by someone at the clinic (25/36 [69.4%] vs 132/363 [36.4%]; P=0.002), knew that screening was free (30/36 [83.3%] vs 161/363 [44.4%]; P<0.001), and obtained "good" cervical screening attitude scores (17/36 [47.2%] vs 66/363 [18.2%]; P=0.001). Most women (382/399 [95.7%]) did not know about PNs. When told about PNs, 388 (97.5%) of 398 women said they would like assistance with explanation of medical terms, and 352 (88.2%) of 399 said they would like PNs to accompany them for cervical evaluation and/or treatment.Conclusion: Use of PNs was highly acceptable and represents a novel approach to addressing barriers to cervical cancer screening and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]