{ "abstract": "Cervical cancer is a major public health problem, but it can be prevented through screening and treatment of precancerous lesions. The aim of this study was to assess the association between cervical cancer-related stigma and prior cervical cancer screening uptake among women in the Dakar and Kédougou regions of Senegal. A quantitative descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in the Dakar and Kédougou regions. The study population consisted of women aged 25–69. Sampling was based on a two-stage cluster sampling methodology. Past participation in screening was self-reported, and an index of stigma was developed to quantify the level of cervical cancer related stigma in the study population. The items used to develop this index covered several domains that have been shown to be powerful predictors of stigma. Data were analyzed with R 4.5.0 software. Logistic regression was performed (5% alpha). A total of 287 women had data on their screening status, with only 15.7% reporting having undergone one or more screenings in the past. The mean age of participants was 36.23, and the majority (68.6%) were married and living in monogamous households. After adjustment for age, marital status and education level, higher stigma scores were associated with lower odds of screening (OR=0.58, 95% CI 0.38-0.83, p = 0.006). Cervical cancer stigma was significantly associated with lower odds of screening uptake. A better understanding of this barrier will enable us to better adapt strategies to combat this disease. Setting up a navigation program for this screening could help improve access to this service by removing the stigma barrier and any other major obstacle to screening. Our stigma index provides a comprehensive assessment of stigma and represents a novel tool that can be adapted for future research, including the evaluation of stigma reduction following implementation of our patient navigation intervention.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Institute of Health and Development, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal", "Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America", "Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristide Le Dantec Teaching Hospitals, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal", "Center for Training in Women’s Health, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal", "Office of Cancer Prevention and Control, Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health and Social Action, Dakar, Senegal", "Office of Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research, Division of Maternal and Child Health, Ministry of Health and Social Action, Dakar, Senegal", "School of Public Health, Epidemiology Division, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America", "Department of Human Development Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America", "College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America", "Department of Biomedical & Health Information Sciences, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America", "College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America", "Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America", "Center for Global Health at the College of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America", "Cancer Center, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America" ], "article_type": "Research Article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 21, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Fatou Bintou Seck" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Saria Awadalla" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Fatoumata Binetou Diongue" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Ibrahima Ndiaye" }, { "affs": [ 4 ], "name": "Omar Gassama" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Ndeye Mbombe Dieng" }, { "affs": [ 6 ], "name": "Adja Maguette Diaw" }, { "affs": [ 7 ], "name": "Hilaire Sarr" }, { "affs": [ 8 ], "name": "Victoria Winslow" }, { "affs": [ 9 ], "name": "Ndèye Marème Sougou" }, { "affs": [ 10 ], "name": "Sarah Abboud" }, { "affs": [ 11 ], "name": "Assane Sall" }, { "affs": [ 12 ], "name": "Alexis Claire Klima" }, { "affs": [ 13 ], "name": "Aida Fall" }, { "name": "Aida Barro" }, { "name": "Blessings Chisunkha" }, { "name": "Ahmadou Babana El Alaoui" }, { "name": "Aliath Salami" }, { "name": "Jon Andrew Dykens" }, { "name": "Caryn Elizabeth Peterson" }, { "name": "Adama Faye" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6h06ptqqa4rhh.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1371/journal.pgph.0006187", "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0006187", "id": "6h06ptqqa4rhh", "issns": [ "2767-3375" ], "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0006187", "language": null, "licence": "CC-BY-4.0", "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0", "licence_source": "journal", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "openalex", "2739|Women's cancer prevention and management" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Diagnostic medicine/Cancer detection and diagnosis/Cancer screening" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancer detection and diagnosis/Cancer screening" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancer prevention" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancer treatment" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancers and neoplasms" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancers and neoplasms/Gynecological tumors/Cervical cancer" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Public and occupational health/Health screening" ], [ "plos", "/People and places/Geographical locations/Africa/Senegal" ], [ "plos", "/Social sciences/Sociology/Education/Educational attainment" ] ], "openalex": "W7220946971", "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0006187&type=printable", "pmcid": null, "pmid": null, "published": "2026-10-08", "publisher": "Public Library of Science", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6h06ptqqa4rhh.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:30Z", "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pgph.0006187", "source": "plos", "url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0006187" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "medicine", "origin": "plos:oncology", "subfield": "oncology" } ], "title": "Impact of cervical cancer–related stigma on screening uptake in Dakar and Kedougou, Senegal: A context-specific stigma index", "title_text": "Impact of cervical cancer–related stigma on screening uptake in Dakar and Kedougou, Senegal: A context-specific stigma index", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:30Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6h06ptqqa4rhh", "venue": "PLOS Global Public Health", "versions": [] }