Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37118738›Full record

ArticleBMC women's health2023

The state of cervical cancer screening in imprisoned women in Malawi: a case of Maula Prison.

Regina Mendulo, Isabel Kazanga Chiumia

Open access · goldAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in BMC women's health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 10% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Regina MenduloDepartment of Public Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi. reginamendulo.rm@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0001-5956-2604
Isabel Kazanga ChiumiaDepartment of Health Systems and Policy, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi.
Kamuzu Central Hospital · MW

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMalawi is one of the countries with the highest burden of cervical cancer in the world with less than ten percent of women screened for cervical cancer annually. The study aimed to investigate the state of cervical cancer screening among incarcerated women at Maula prison. The study highlights key challenges that women in prison face to access cervical cancer screening to inform policies and strategies to address them.

methodsThe study employed a cross-sectional qualitative study design. A total of 31 prisoners aged between 18 to 49 participated in the study. Among these, 15 women participated in in-depth interviews, while 16 women participated in two focus group discussions consisting of 8 women per group. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data was analysed using inductive content analysis.

findingsMajority of women at Maula prison demonstrated knowledge of cervical cancer, its associated risk factors and the benefits of cervical cancer screening. Most women also expressed willingness to undergo cervical cancer screening. However, the following were identified as factors that hinder women from accessing cervical cancer screening services at the prison:-limited availability of the services, pain during the screening process, the presence of male practitioners conducting screening, poor treatment by authorities and health workers and favouritism.

conclusionTo improve cervical cancer screening and its uptake at Maula prison there is a need to ensure unlimited availability of the screening services which should be conducted by female health practitioners. There is also a need to include this service as part of the mandatory health screening exercise that is conducted upon entry into the prison by all prisoners. Conducting in-depth awareness and sensitization with participants before screening would help to eradicate fear, provide assurance and clarification of the screening process. Prison officers and health workers should also be sensitised to improve prisoners' access to healthcare during incarceration.

Indexed as

PrisonsUterine Cervical NeoplasmsAdolescentAdultCross-Sectional StudiesEarly Detection of CancerFemaleHumansMalawiMaleMiddle AgedYoung AdultCervical cancerMalawiPrisonersScreeningSub Saharan Africa

Identifiers

PMID37118738
PMCPMC10142221
OpenAlexW4367315649

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.