Uptake of Cervical Cancer Screening and Associated Factors Among 15–49-Year-Old Women in Dessie Town, Northeast Ethiopia

Cervical cancer screening is acknowledged as the most effective approach to reduce incidence and mortality rates from the disease. Nevertheless, there are limited data on the rate of uptake of cervical cancer screening and factors that are related to uptake of screening services in Ethiopia. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of uptake of screening and determine associated factors among women of age 15–49 years in Northeast Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 620 women residing in Dessie town, Northeast Ethiopia. The respondents were selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Binary and multiple logistic regressions were employed to determine factors associated with the uptake of cervical cancer screening service. Overall, 57.7 % of the women had ever heard of cervical cancer, and 51.9 % had sufficient knowledge about the disease. However, only 11 % underwent at least one cervical screening in their lifetime. After adjusting for covariates, knowledge of cervical cancer (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 11.1; 95 % CI 5.0–24.8) and age (being 25–34 years (AOR 5.0; 95 % CI 1.5–16.7) and being within the age group of 34–49 years (AOR 6.0; 95 % CI 1.74–20.8)) were significantly associated with screening service uptake. In this study, uptake of cervical cancer screening service was found to be low. Increasing women’s knowledge about cervical cancer, particularly targeting the younger ones, is crucial to enhance uptake of screening.