| dc.description.abstract | This mini-thesis assesses the Pap smear screening programme in Namibia in terms of coverage of the target group, reasons and frequencies of screenings, quality of specimens taken, early detection of lesions and follow - up mechanisms. This screening programme started many years ago, however, no assessment or evaluation was ever been completed on the programme. In Namibia, cancer of cervix is the fourth most common diagnosed cancer, and the number one cause of death among all types of cancers affecting women, accounting for 20o/o of cancer deaths. However, this trend could be reversed, because cancer of the cervix is one of the cancers that can be prevented and treated if discovered or detected earlier through a quality Pap smear screening programme. Another concem is that of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Although Cancer of the cervix seems not to be an immediate threat to countries, it was confirmed that HIV and Human Papilloma virus infections are closely associated with the cancer of the cervix; thus if the HIV infection prevalence is increasing, cancer is also expected to increase. Method: It was an explorative, descriptive, quantitative retrospective record review covering three years as from January 1999 - December 2001. All women's records who's'Pap smear were taken in that period made up the population for the study and a systematic sample using random start was used to select records for review. These were from the Namibia Institute Of Pathology (NIP), Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN), and from the Dr. A. B. May Cancer Care Centre. In addition, key informant interviews were conducted with staff involved in the public sector cervical cancer screening programme to contextualise the
quantitative findings | en_US |
