Investigating Women's Empowerment Impact on Breast Cancer Screening Uptake: A Tanzanian Study

Investigating the Influence of Women's Empowerment on Breast Cancer Screening Uptake in Tanzania: A Demographic Health Survey Analysis

Abstract:

The study med to explore women's empowerment and its impact on breast cancer screening utilization among adult women aged 20-49 years in Tanzania using data from the 2022 Tanzanian Demographic Health Survey. Breast cancer is a prevalent issue with substantial mortality rates, particularly in developing countries like sub-Saharan Africa, underscoring the importance of early detection and management through screening.

Methods:

We utilized data from the 2022 Tanzanian Demographic Health Survey TDHS, which encompassed information on over 4,216 women within the specified age range. The empowerment variables included were social indepence, decision-making power, asset ownership, and attitudes toward violence agnst women. We applied statistical analysis tools in SPSS version 26 for data validation and processing, performing descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses followed by a multivariate logistic regression to assess correlations between indepent factors and breast cancer screening.

Results:

Our findings indicated that approximately 5.2 of the surveyed women had undergone breast cancer screening. Age, educational attnment, literacy status, asset ownership, attitudes toward violence agnst women, and joint decision-making with partners on healthcare decisions were found to be associated with a higher probability of undergoing breast cancer screening. Women aged 45-49 years demonstrated significantly increased odds AOR = 6.28 compared to younger age groups; those with secondary or higher education had about 10 higher odds AOR 1.1 than women without formal schooling; literate women had roughly a similar percentage increase in screening likelihood AOR = 1.13; women owning their home were almost three times more likely to undergo screening AOR = 3.08, compared to those who did not own property; and women jointly making healthcare decisions with their partners showed an increased tency of undergoing screenings, as opposed to those who do not participate in such discussions.

:

This study underscores the pivotal role of women's empowerment in influencing breast cancer screening uptake. Empowerment appears to enhance decision-making capabilities, access to resources, and overall health awareness among women. It is imperative for policymakers to focus on empowering women through education initiatives, economic opportunities, and community involvement strategies. Implementing country-specific interventions and targeted public health campgns that prioritize breast cancer screening should incorporate empowerment initiatives to increase screening uptake rates.

Keywords: Breast Cancer Screening; Demographic Health Survey; Women's Empowerment; Tanzania

Acknowledgements:

The authors declare no competing interests.

References:

• Bray F, Laversanne M, Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, Soerjomataram I, et al. Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries Internet. Cancer Epidemiology; Jan 2024.

• World Bank. Women's Girls' Empowerment Development World Bank. Washington, DC: World Bank; accessed on May 7, 2024.

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