TRACCTION - Towards the elimination of cervical cancer: transdisciplinary science for smarter implementation strategies

Towards the elimination of cervical cancer in Tanzania: Transdisciplinary science for smarter implementation strategies (TRACCTION) is a mixed methods study using a transdisciplinary approach to explore women’s perceptions of cervical cancer care, document the cervical cancer care cascade from pre-cancer screening through treatment for women living with and without HIV, and identify demand side gaps and opportunities for increasing cervical cancer screening and pre-cancer treatment uptake in Kilombero District, Tanzania. While cervical cancer is the most common cancer and leading cause of cancer-related mortality in Tanzanian women [1], existing evidence on barriers to cervical cancer screening and care in Tanzania is predominantly from urban areas or a health systems’ perspective [2-6].

The TRACCTION study will meet study objectives using innovative, community-based qualitative data collection methods, a community-based survey (n=800) and the development and analysis of an integrated digital database of HIV patients and cervical cancer screening uptake from a regional reference hospital. Community members, health care professionals and policy makers will be invited to review study findings and exchange during participatory workshops to formulate policy recommendations to improve uptake of cervical cancer screening and pre-cancer treatment in Kilombero District and other similar contexts.

1. IARC. Population fact sheet: Tanzania, United Republic of. Lyon: Cancer Today. 2020  [cited 2021 October 30 2021]; Available from: Population fact sheet: Tanzania, United Republic of. Lyon: Cancer Today — IARC; 2020 (https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/834-tanzania-united-republic-of-fact-sheets.pdf, accessed October 30 2021).

2. Runge, A.S., et al., Cervical cancer in Tanzania: A systematic review of current challenges in six domains. Gynecol Oncol Rep, 2019. 29: p. 40-47.

3. Mugassa, A. M., & Frumence, G. (2020). Factors influencing the uptake of cervical cancer screening services in Tanzania: A health system perspective from national and district levels. Nursing Open, 7(1), 345-354.

4. Kileo, N. M., Michael, D., Neke, N. M., & Moshiro, C. (2015). Utilization of cervical cancer screening services and its associated factors among primary school teachers in Ilala Municipality, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. BMC Health Services Research, 15, 1-9.

5. Bateman, L. B., Blakemore, S., Koneru, A., Mtesigwa, T., McCree, R., Lisovicz, N. F., ... & Jolly, P. E. (2019). Barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening, diagnosis, follow‐up care and treatment: Perspectives of human immunodeficiency virus‐positive women and health care practitioners in Tanzania. The Oncologist, 24(1), 69-75.

6. Linde, D. S., Rasch, V., Mwaiselage, J. D., & Gammeltoft, T. M. (2019). Competing needs: a qualitative study of cervical cancer screening attendance among HPV-positive women in Tanzania. BMJ open, 9(2), e024011.