Knowledge and Attitude of Primary Care Nurses Toward Integrated Cervical Cancer Screening Services

African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery | Vol. 14, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 87–95

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJNM/000142

Original Research Article

Title: Knowledge and Attitude of Primary Care Nurses Toward Integrated Cervical Cancer Screening Services

Names of Authors: Mulugeta G. Abebe¹, Tewodros W. Assefa²

Authors’ Affiliations:
¹School of Public Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
²Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract:
Cervical cancer is a prominent cause of oncology mortality among African women, yet early screening remains severely underutilized due to weak integration at primary healthcare tiers. This descriptive cross-sectional study evaluated the baseline clinical knowledge, professional attitudes, and implementation barriers regarding visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) screening among primary care nurses. A total of 180 practicing primary health care nurses completed a validated, self-administered screening evaluation survey. Data analysis employed descriptive metrics, independent t-tests, and analysis of variance. The results indicated that only 31.7% of the participating nurses possessed a satisfactory level of clinical knowledge regarding cervical oncogenesis and VIA evaluation criteria. Despite this deficit, 88.3% displayed a highly positive professional attitude toward integrating screening workflows into their daily family planning clinics. The primary structural barriers to screening implementation identified included a lack of specific VIA training models (74.4%), missing speculums or acetic acid supplies (58.9%), and a lack of private consultation spaces. Nurses with more than five years of clinical service achieved significantly better attitude scores (p = 0.012). The study concludes that primary care nurses represent an underutilized asset for oncological prevention that remains constrained by clinical knowledge gaps and equipment deficits.

Keywords: Cervical Cancer Screening; Visual Inspection; Primary Care Nursing; Clinical Knowledge; Healthcare Integration; Africa.

Manuscript Timeline: Received June 02, 2026; Revised July 12, 2026; Accepted July 29, 2026; Published August 24, 2026.

Citation: Abebe, G. M., & Assefa, W. T. (2026). Knowledge and Attitude of Primary Care Nurses Toward Integrated Cervical Cancer Screening Services. African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 14(8), 87–95.

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