Factors influencing cervical cancer re-screening in a semi-rural health district of Cameroon: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Screening participation at recommended intervals is a crucial component of cervical cancer prevention effectiveness. However, little is known regarding the rate of re-screening in a Sub-Saharan context. This study aimed to estimate the re-screening rate of women in a semi-rural after an initial HPV-based screening and identify factors that influence adherence. METHODS: This cohort study at the Annex Regional Hospital of Dschang enrolled women screened for cervical cancer over 5 years ago and due for re-screening. Women who initially tested HPV-positive (n = 132) and a random sample of HPV-negative women (n = 220) participated in a telephone survey between October 2021 and March 2022 to assess re-screening participation and reasons. Sociodemographic factors were collected, and associations with rescreening were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 352 participants aged under 50 years (mean age 37.4 years) were contacted, and 203 (58.0%) completed the survey. The proportion of women who complied with the screening recommendation was 34.0% (95% CI 27.5% - 40.5%), The weighted re-screening proportion was 28.4%. Age, marital status, education level, type of employment, and place of residence were not associated with the rate of re-screening. Main reported barriers to re-screening were lack of information (39.0%), forgetfulness (39.0%), and impression of being in good health (30.0%). Women who remembered the recommended screening interval were 2 to 3 times more likely to undergo re-screening (aOR (adjusted odds ratio) = 2.3 [1.2-4.4], p = 0.013). Human papilloma virus- positive status at the initial screening was also associated with the re-screening((aOR) (95% CI): 3.4 (1.8-6.5). CONCLUSION: Following an initial Human Papilloma Virus-based screening campaign in the West Region of Cameroon, one third of women adhered to re-screening within the recommended timeframe. Existing screening strategies would benefit from developing better information approaches to reinforce the importance of repeated cervical cancer screening.

Acceptability of artificial intelligence for cervical cancer screening in Dschang, Cameroon: a qualitative study on patient perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer among women, with 90% of cervical cancer-related deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries like Cameroon. Visual inspection with acetic acid is often used in low-resource settings to screen for cervical cancer; however, its accuracy can be limited. To address this issue, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne and the University Hospitals of Geneva are collaborating to develop an automated smartphone-based image classifier that serves as a computer aided diagnosis tool for cancerous lesions. The primary objective of this study is to explore the acceptability and perspectives of women in Dschang regarding the usage of a screening tool for cervical cancer relying on artificial intelligence. A secondary objective is to understand the preferred form and type of information women would like to receive regarding this artificial intelligence-based screening tool. METHODS: A qualitative methodology was employed to gain better insight into the women's perspectives. Participants, aged between 30 and 49 were invited from both rural and urban regions and semi-structured interviews using a pre-tested interview guide were conducted. The focus groups were divided on the basis of level of education, as well as HPV status. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded using the ATLAS.ti software. RESULTS: A total of 32 participants took part in the six focus groups, and 38% of participants had a primary level of education. The perspectives identified were classified using an adapted version of the Technology Acceptance Model. Key factors influencing the acceptability of artificial intelligence include privacy concerns, perceived usefulness, and trust in the competence of providers, accuracy of the tool as well as the potential negative impact of smartphones. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that an artificial intelligence-based screening tool for cervical cancer is mostly acceptable to the women in Dschang. By ensuring patient confidentiality and by providing clear explanations, acceptance can be fostered in the community and uptake of cervical cancer screening can be improved. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Ethical Cantonal Board of Geneva, Switzerland (CCER, N°2017-0110 and CER-amendment n°4) and Cameroonian National Ethics Committee for Human Health Research (N°2022/12/1518/CE/CNERSH/SP). NCT: 03757299.

Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer among women. However, 90% of all deaths caused by cervical cancer occur in low-and middle-income countries. Methods traditionally used in settings like Cameroon to detect cervical cancer unfortunately lack accuracy. Therefore, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne and the University Hospitals of Geneva are developing an artificial intelligence-based computer aided diagnosis tool to detect pre-cancerous lesions using a smartphone application. The aim of this study was to explore the acceptability and perspectives regarding an AI-based tool for cervical cancer screening for women in Dschang, a city in the west of Cameroon. A qualitative methodology was conducted with six focus groups and a total of 32 participants. The main concerns highlighted by the study are related to privacy, trust in the ability of the healthcare providers, accuracy of the tool as well as the potential negative impact of smartphones. In conclusion, our results show that a computer aided diagnosis tool using artificial intelligence is mostly acceptable to women in Dschang, as long as their confidentiality is preserved, and they are provided with clear explanations beforehand.

Length of stay and determinants of early discharge after facility-based childbirth in Cameroon: analysis of the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: A minimum length of stay following facility birth is a prerequisite for women and newborns to receive the recommended monitoring and package of postnatal care. The first postnatal care guidelines in Cameroon were issued in 1998 but adherence to minimum length of stay has not been assessed thus far. The objective of this study was to estimate the average length of stay and identify determinants of early discharge after facility birth. METHODS: We analyzed the Cameroon 2018 Demographic and Health Survey. We included 4,567 women who had a live birth in a heath facility between 2013 and 2018. We calculated their median length of stay in hours by mode of birth and the proportion discharged early (length of stay < 24 h after vaginal birth or < 5 days after caesarean section). We assessed the association between sociodemographic, context-related, facility-related, obstetric and need-related factors and early discharge using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The median length of stay (inter quartile range) was 36 (9-84) hours after vaginal birth (n = 4,290) and 252 (132-300) hours after caesarean section (n = 277). We found that 28.8% of all women who gave birth in health facilities were discharged too early (29.7% of women with vaginal birth and 15.1% after a caesarean section). Factors which significantly predicted early discharge in multivariable regression were: maternal age < 20 years (compared to 20-29 years, aOR: 1.44; 95%CI 1.13-1.82), unemployment (aOR: 0.78; 95%CI: 0.63-0.96), non-Christian religions (aOR: 1.65; 95CI: 1.21-2.24), and region of residence-Northern zone aOR:9.95 (95%CI:6.53-15.17) and Forest zone aOR:2.51 (95%CI:1.79-3.53) compared to the country's capital cities (Douala or Yaounde). None of the obstetric characteristics was associated with early discharge. CONCLUSIONS: More than 1 in 4 women who gave birth in facilities in Cameroon were discharged too early; this mostly affected women following vaginal birth. The reasons leading to lack of adherence to postnatal care guidelines should be better understood and addressed to reduce preventable complications and provide better support to women and newborns during this critical period.

Inter- and intra-observer agreement in the assessment of the cervical transformation zone (TZ) by visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and its implications for a screen and treat approach: a reliability study.

BACKGROUND: In low-resource countries, interpretation of the transformation zone (TZ) using the classification of the International Federation for Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy (IFCPC), adopted by the World Health Organization, is critical for determining if visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) screening and thermal ablation treatment are possible. We aim to assess inter- and intra-observer agreement in TZ interpretation. METHODS: We performed a prospective multi-observer reliability study. One hundred cervical digital images of Human papillomavirus positive women (30-49 years) were consecutively selected from a Cameroonian cervical cancer screening trial. Images of the native cervix and after VIA were obtained. The images were evaluated for the TZ type at two time points (rounds one and two) by five VIA experts from four countries (Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Peru, and Zambia) according to the IFCPC classification (TZ1 = ectocervical fully visible; TZ2 = endocervical fully visible; TZ3 = not fully visible). Intra- and inter-observer agreement were measured by Fleiss' kappa. RESULTS: Overall, 37.0% of images were interpreted as TZ1, 36.4% as TZ2, and 26.6% as TZ3. Global inter-observer reliability indicated fair agreement in both rounds (kappa 0.313 and 0.288). The inter-observer agreement was moderate for TZ1 interpretation (0.460), slight for TZ2 (0.153), and fair for TZ3 (0.329). Intra-observer analysis showed fair agreement for two observers (0.356 and 0.345), moderate agreement for two other (0.562 and 0.549), and one with substantial agreement (0.728). CONCLUSION: Interpretation of the TZ using the IFCPC classification, adopted by the World Health Organization, is critical for determining if VIA screening and thermal ablation treatment are possible. However, the low inter- and intra-observer agreement suggest that the reliability of the referred classification is limited in the context of VIA. It's integration in treatment recommendations should be used with caution since TZ3 interpretation could lead to an important referral rate for further evaluation. Trial registration Cantonal Ethics Board of Geneva, Switzerland: N°2017-0110. Cameroonian National Ethics Committee for Human Health Research N°2018/07/1083/CE/CNERSH/SP.

Acceptability and safety of thermal ablation to prevent cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recommends thermal ablation as an alternative to cryotherapy to treat women with precancerous lesions in low-resource settings. However, limited data are available on women's experience and adverse events (AEs) of the procedure in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to evaluate the acceptability and safety of thermal ablation in women screened positive for precancerous cervical lesions. METHODS: Asymptomatic women aged 30-49 years old living in the Dschang Health District were invited to participate in a cervical cancer screening campaign termed "3 T-Approach" (for Test-Triage and Treat). Recruited women were asked to perform HPV self-sampling followed by triage with visual assessment and treatment with thermal ablation if required. After treatment and 4-6 weeks later, interviews were conducted to assess women's experience on anxiety, discomfort, and pain during thermal ablation. AEs were recorded on pre-defined electronic forms 4-6 weeks after treatment to assess the procedure's safety. RESULTS: Between September 2018 and December 2020, 399 HPV-positive women (18.7% of women screened) were recruited, 236 (59.1%) had a positive visual assessment, 234 were treated by thermal ablation and 198 (84.6%) received therapy in the same visit. Treatment was not considered as painful (score ≤ 4/10) by 209 (90.9%) patients while 5 (2.5%) reported high pain (score 8-10/10). During post-treatment interviews 4-6 weeks later, most reported AEs were graded mild or moderate (grade I-II). The most frequent symptoms reported as mild AEs (grade 1-2) were vaginal watery discharge (75.5%), vaginal bloody-stained discharge (21.5%) and malodourous discharge (14.5%). None of the participants experienced serious AEs (grade 3-4) or AEs requiring admission to hospital or emergency consultation. The vast majority of women (99.6%) would agree to repeat the procedure if necessary and (99.6%) would recommend it to friends or family. CONCLUSION: Thermal ablation is widely accepted by women and appears as a safe procedure. It may contribute to improving the link between screening and treatment in a single visit and to optimizing cervical cancer control in low-resource settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT03757299 ) in November 2018 (28/11/2018).

Recruitment strategies to promote uptake of cervical cancer screening in the West Region of Cameroon.

OBJECTIVES: The World Health Organization's (WHO) global strategy for cervical cancer elimination has set the target of 70% of women screened in all countries by 2030. Community sensitization through media is often used, but community health workers' (CHW) involvement may contribute to improving screening coverage. We aimed to assess effectiveness and costs of two cervical cancer screening recruitment strategies conducted in a low-resource setting. METHODS: The study was conducted in the West Region of Cameroon, in the Health District of Dschang, a community of 300,000 inhabitants. From September 2018 to February 2020, we recruited and screened women for cervical cancer in a single-visit prevention campaign at Dschang District Hospital. During the first 9 months, recruitment was only based on Community Information Channels (CIC) (e.g.. street banners). From the tenth month, participation of CHW was added in the community after training for cervical cancer prevention counselling. Population recruitment was compared between the two strategies by assessing the number of recruited women and direct costs (CHW costs included recruitment, teaching, certification, identification badge, flyers, transport, and incentives). The intervention's cost-effectiveness was expressed using an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: During the period under study, 1940 women were recruited, HPV positive rate was 18.6% (n = 361) and 39 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) were diagnosed. Among included participants, 69.9% (n = 1356) of women were recruited through CIC as compared to 30.1% (n = 584) by CHW. The cost per screened woman and CIN2+ diagnosed was higher in the CHW group. The ICER was 6.45 USD or 16.612021Int'l$ per screened woman recruited by CHW. Recruitment in rural areas increased from 12.1 to 61.4% of all women included between CIC-led and CHW-led interventions. These outcomes highlight the importance of training, preparing, and deploying CHW to screen hard-to-reach women, considering that up to 45% of Cameroon's population lives in rural areas. CONCLUSION: CHW offer an important complement to CIC for expanding coverage in a sub-Saharan African region such as the West Region of Cameroon. CHW play a central role in building awareness and motivation for cervical cancer screening in rural settings.

"My motivation was to save": a qualitative study exploring factors influencing motivation of community healthcare workers in a cervical cancer screening program in Dschang, Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a major public health issue among women in Cameroon and uptake of screening programs remains a challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. Community healthcare workers can play an important role in promoting cervical cancer services. This study aimed to explore factors affecting the motivation of community healthcare workers in a cervical cancer screening program in Dschang, Cameroon. METHODS: A qualitative approach including 11 in-depth individual interviews with community healthcare workers was used. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and coded using thematic analysis assisted by ATLAS.ti software. RESULTS: Four women and seven men aged between 21 and 77 years old were interviewed. Community healthcare workers had high motivation. Factors affecting motivation were divided into individual and environmental level, based on a theoretical framework. Factors with a positive influence on motivation were mainly on the individual side while impeding factors were mainly associated with the environmental level. CONCLUSIONS: Key interventions to improve motivation among community healthcare workers include: (i) more training and supportive supervision; (ii) evaluation of remuneration systems by workload; and (iii) provision of job-enabling resources such as uniforms, cellphone cards and transport. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Geneva Cantonal Ethics Committee on Human Research (No. 2017-01110) and the Cameroonian National Ethics Committee for Human Health Research (No. 2018/07/1083/CE/CNERSH/SP).

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women in Cameroon. This is mainly due to the absence of routine cervical cancer screening programs and the lack of treatment. However, even in case of availability of cervical cancer screening programs, barriers exist. Therefore, community healthcare workers have been involved successfully to increase the screening coverage. As retention of these actors remains a challenge, the main objective of this study was to identify key factors affecting their motivation aiming to suggest interventions to address motivational factors. 11 qualitative interviews with individual community healthcare workers were conducted at a cervical cancer screening program in Dschang, Cameroon. Motivation was generally high and affecting factors were divided into the individual and the environmental level. Factors with a positive influence on motivation were mainly on the individual side while impeding factors were mainly associated with the environmental level. Ongoing collaboration with community healthcare workers is beneficial for cervical cancer screening programs, and key interventions should therefore include: (i) more training and supportive supervision; (ii) evaluation of remuneration systems by workload; and (iii) provision of job-enabling resources such as uniforms, cellphone cards and transport.

A cross-sectional study exploring triage of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive women by visual assessment, manual and computer-interpreted cytology, and HPV-16/18-45 genotyping in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive women require triage to identify those at higher risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+). We aimed to compare visual assessment of the cervix, manual cytology and automated cytology as triage tests to screen HPV-positive women, and to assess over-treatment rates after visual assessment and over-referral rates to colposcopy after cytology. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study is nested in a large prospective screening trial in Cameroon. Evaluations of the tests have been conducted individually and in combination with HPV-16/HPV-18/45 genotyping. For the evaluation of over-treatment and colposcopic over-referral, we simulated two screening scenarios: (1) one-visit scenario (test-triage-and-treatment); and (2) two-visit scenario (test-triage-and-colposcopy). RESULTS: 1582 women with a median age of 40 years (IQR 35-45) performed self-sampling for HPV testing, of which 294 (18.6%) were HPV-positive, and 12.2% had CIN2+. Sensitivities for CIN2+ detection were 77.1% for visual assessment, 80.0% for manual cytology, and 84.8% for automated cytology. Sensitivity of combined tests was higher compared with single tests. The highest sensitivity was obtained by the combination of genotyping and automated cytology (91.2%). In the one-visit scenario, the over-treatment rate was 83.9% in referred women, with a ratio of 6.2 treated women per CIN2+. In the two-visit scenario, the lowest over-referral rate would have been under manual cytology (45.0%), with a ratio of 1.8 referred women per CIN2+. Single and combined triage strategies by automated cytology gave rise to over-referral rates of 69.2% and 76.7%, respectively, and a ratio of 3.2 and 4.3 referred women per CIN2+, respectively. DISCUSSION: Triage of HPV-positive women using a combination of genotyping and automated cytology for CIN2+ detection may provide public benefits in low- and middle-income countries.

"Cervical cancer screening: awareness is not enough". Understanding barriers to screening among women in West Cameroon-a qualitative study using focus groups.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women in sub-Saharan countries, constituting a major public health concern. In Cameroon, cervical cancer ranks as the second most common type of cancer among women and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, mainly due to the lack of prevention. OBJECTIVES: Our first and main objective was to understand the barriers affecting women's decision-making process regarding participation in a cervical cancer screening program in the Dschang district (West Cameroon). Second, we aimed to explore the acceptability and perception of a single-visit approach (screen and treat). METHODS: A qualitative study using focus groups (FGs) was conducted from February to March 2020. Female participants aged between 30 and 49 years and their male partners were invited to participate. Thematic analysis was used, and barriers were classified according to the three-delay model of Thaddeus and Maine. RESULTS: In total, six FGs with 43 participants (31 women and 12 men) were conducted. The most important barriers were lack of health literacy, low accessibility of the program (in respect to cost and distance), and disrespectful treatment by healthcare workers. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified three needs: (1) enhancing health literacy; (2) improving the delivery of cervical cancer screening in rural areas; and (3) providing training for healthcare providers and community healthcare workers to improve patient-provider-communication. Trial registration Ethical Cantonal Board of Geneva, Switzerland (CCER, N°2017-0110 and CER-amendment n°3) and Cameroonian National Ethics Committee for Human Health Research (N°2018/07/1083/CE/CNERSH/SP). NCT: 03757299.

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women in sub-Saharan countries, constituting a major public health concern. In Cameroon, cervical cancer ranks as the second most common type of cancer among women and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, mainly due to the lack of prevention measures, such as cervical cancer screening.The main aim of the current study was to understand barriers that affect women's decision-making processes regarding participation in a cervical cancer screening program in the Dschang district in West Cameroon.A qualitative study methodology using focus group discussions was conducted from February to March 2020. Female participants aged between 30 and 49 years and their male partners were invited to participate.In total, six discussion groups with 43 participants (31 women and 12 men) were conducted. The most important barriers were a lack of health literacy, limited access to the program because of cost and distance, and disrespectful treatment by healthcare workers.Our results identified three key areas for improvement: first, increasing health literacy; second, providing cervical cancer screening in rural areas; and third, training healthcare providers and community healthcare workers in better patient-provider-communication.

Use of WhatsApp®, for distance teaching during COVID-19 pandemic: Experience and perception from a sub-Saharan African setting.

BACKGROUND: In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, to palliate to the lockdown and cover academic programs, the faculty of medicine and pharmaceutical sciences (FMPS) of the university of Dschang (UDs) in Cameroon has implemented e-learning using WhatsApp®. AIM: Describe the opinion of students and lecturers after its implementation of e-learning at the FMPS of UDs. METHODS: We designed a uniform teaching scheme using WhatsApp® during the university lockdown. Students and members of the teaching staff of the FMPS of UDs were enrolled after receiving clear information on the study implementation. At the end of the online-teaching period of two and a half months, we surveyed our students and teaching staff. Sociodemographic characteristics and opinions about e-learning were collected using a standard questionnaire. RESULTS: We enrolled 229 students and 40 lecturers of the FMPS. Students reported a decremented quality of internet connection (p < 0.001, p-homogeneity < 0.001) despite an increased expenditure related to internet use. Electronic devices were broadly used before the implementation of mobile learning. The use of course materials was significantly more challenging among students because of the size/format of lecture notes and internet connection/cost (all p < 0.05). Perception of discipline compared to classroom-based lessons was not significantly different among students compared to lecturers (all p > 0.05). While lecturers were mainly more comfortable conveying the contents of their lectures, students tended to be less prone to actively participate. The motivation and satisfaction of the latter group toward e-learning were modest compared to classroom-based lectures while their feedback about the organization was positive. CONCLUSIONS: E-learning using WhatsApp® could be an effective alternative to conventional classroom-based lessons in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. The use of a blended-learning program including classroom-based sessions could help improve its limitations.

Evaluation of emergency obstetric and neonatal care services in Kumba Health District, Southwest region, Cameroon (2011-2014): a before-after study.

BACKGROUND: There is uncertainty regarding the status of emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC) in the Cameroonian context where maternal and neonatal mortality are persistently high. This study sought to evaluate the coverage, functionality and quality of EmONC services in Kumba health district (KHD), the largest health district in Southwest Cameroon.. METHODS: A retrospective study of routine EmONC data for the periods 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012 (when EmONC was being introduced) and 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2014 (when EmONC was fully instituted) was conducted. Coverage, functionality and quality of EmONC services were graded as per United Nations (UN) standards. Data was analysed using Epi-Info version 7 statistical software. RESULTS: Among the 31 health facilities in KHD, 12 (39%) had been delivering EmONC services. Three (25%) of these were geographically inaccessible Among the 9 facilities that were assessed, 4 facilities (44%) performed designated signal functions, with 2 being comprehensive (CEmONC) and 2 basic (BEmONC). These exceeded the required minimum of 2.8 EmONC facilities/500000, 0.6 CEmONC facilities/500000 and 2.2 BEmONC facilities/500000, with reference to an estimated KHD population of 265,071. The signal functions that were least likely to be performed were neonatal resuscitation, manual evacuation of retained products and use of anticonvulsants. In 2011-2012, the facilities performed 35% of expected deliveries. This dropped to 28% in 2013-2014. Caesarean sections as a proportion of expected deliveries remained very low: 1.5% in 2010-2011 and 3.6% in 2013-2014. In 2011-2012, met needs were 6.8% and increased to 7.3% in 2013-2014. Direct obstetric fatality rates increased from 8 to 11% (p = 0.64). Intrapartum and very early neonatal deaths increased from 4.% to 7 (p = 0.89). CONCLUSION: Major gaps were observed in the performance of signal functions as well as the quality and utilization of EmONC. While the results of this study seem to indicate the need to sustainably scale up the utilization of quality EmONC, the interpretations of our findings require consideration of improvements in reporting of mortality data associated with the introduction of EmONC as well as dynamics in country-specific maternal health policies and the potential influence of these policies on EmONC indicators.

Knowledge of peri-menarcheal changes and a comparative analysis of the age at menarche among young adolescent school girls in urban and rural Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Menarche is an expected event that occurs during the development of every normal young girl. We designed this study to evaluate the knowledge of young school girls on puberty, menarche, and menstruation, and to update data on the age at menarche in a rural and urban setting in Cameroon. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey from February to March 2017, targeting female students aged 9 to 16 years in Yaoundé (urban) and Bamougoum (rural). Participants were included using a randomised cluster sampling and data collected using an auto-administrable questionnaire. Student t-test or the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare means, and the odds ratio used as the measure of association between age at menarche and selected covariates. RESULTS: 1157 participants were included in the study; 49.3% from an urban setting and 50.7% from a rural setting. Regarding the knowledge of our participants on puberty, menarche, and menstruation, 67.20% of rural participants had good knowledge, whereas only 46.00% had good knowledge in the urban setting. Mean age at menarche was 12.76 ± 1.33 years, with the mean age at menarche in the urban setting of 12.48 ± 1.12 years and the rural setting of 13.03 ± 1.46 years. Mean age at menarche was significantly lower in participants aged below 14 years (p-value = 0.000), those with both parents alive (p-value = 0.0461), those whose fathers had skilled occupations (p-value = 0.005), those of urban resident (p-value = 0.000), and those who watched TV everyday (p-value = 0.030). Urban residence and age below 14 years were significantly associated with an earlier onset of menarche. CONCLUSION: Rural participants had better knowledge of puberty, menarche, and the menstrual cycle than their counterparts in the urban setting. The mean age at menarche over the last two decades has dropped by 7.4 and 4.2 months per decade in urban and rural Cameroon respectively. Mean age at menarche varies significantly with age group, urban/rural residence, state of both parents (both alive/at least one dead), occupation of the father, and frequency of watching TV. Age and urban/rural residence are associated with age at onset of menarche. The continually declining age at menarche is an alarm for future early menarche-linked morbidities.

EPI immunization coverage, timeliness and dropout rate among children in a West Cameroon health district: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring of the expanded program on immunization's performance is not only limited to routine periodic reports but equally includes surveys. Based on unpublished national EPI surveillance data from the past 5 years in Cameroon, the Foumban health district has reported a high number of vaccine preventable disease suspected cases. Contradictory information on the immunization coverage in this district exists from both administrative data and published literature. As a result, the objective of this study was to estimate the immunization coverage and dropout rate in age group 12-23 months and timeliness in age group 0-59 months among children in Foumban Health District (Cameroon), in 2018. METHOD: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study targeting randomly selected children aged 0-59 months from Foumban health district. Data were collected by trained and supervised surveyors using a pretested questionnaire to describe the immunization coverage, timeliness and dropout rate in eighty clusters of about thirty buildings selected by stratified random sampling in July 2018. RESULTS: In total, 80 clusters covering 2121 buildings were selected and all were reached (100%). A total of 1549 (81.2%) households accepted to participate in the survey and 1430 children aged 0-59 months including 294 (20.6%) aged 12-23 months were enrolled into the study. Of these 1430 children, 427 [29.9 (27.4-32.2)%] aged 0-59 months were vaccinated with evidence. In the age group 12-23 months, the immunization coverage with evidence of BCG, DPT-Hi + Hb 3 and measles/rubella were 28.6(23.4-33.9)%, 22.8 (18.1-27.6)% and 14.3 (10.3-18.1)% respectively. Within age group 0-59 months; the proportion of children who missed their vaccination appointments increased from 23.3 to 31.7% for the vaccine planned at birth (BCG) and last vaccine planned (Measles/Rubella) for the EPI program respectively. In age group 12-23 months; the specific (DPT-Hi + Hb1-3) and general (BCG-Measles/Rubella) dropout rates of vaccination with evidence were 14.1 and 50.0% respectively. CONCLUSION: Documented immunization coverage, dropout rate and timeliness in Foumban Health district are lower than that targeted by the Cameroon EPI. Competent health authorities have to take necessary actions to ensure the implementation of national guidelines with regards to children access to immunization. Also, studies have to be conducted to identify determinants of low immunization coverage and delays in immunization schedules as well as high dropout rates.

Quantification and factors associated with HIV-related stigma among persons living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy at the HIV-day care unit of the Bamenda Regional Hospital, North West Region of Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus /Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is not just a medical problem but its social impact is increasingly affecting its effective management. The fear of HIV-stigma constitutes a major barrier to HIV testing, prevention, uptake and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). We aimed to quantify HIV-related stigma, and identify the factors associated with high HIV-related stigma among persons living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIVA) and on ART. METHODS: A hospital-based cross sectional analytic survey targeting PLHIVA on ART at the HIV-day care unit of the Bamenda Regional Hospital of Cameroon was conducted from February to April 2016. A total of 308 eligible and willing participants were consecutively included in the survey. Data were collected using a pretested questionnaire designed from the Berger HIV stigma scale and analyzed using Epi info 3.5.4. RESULTS: The mean age of the 308 participants was 40.1±10.2 years. The mean overall HIV/AIDS related stigma score was 88.3 ± 18.80 which corresponds to a moderate level of stigma according to the Berger stigma scale. Further analysis revealed that most participants suffered from moderate forms of the different subtypes of stigma including: personalized (49.8%), disclosure (66.4%), negative self-image (50.0%) and public attitude (52.1%) stigmatization. It was estimated that 62.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 57.8-68.9%) of the participants lived with high levels of HIV-related stigma. After controlling for gender, religion, age and occupation, level of education below tertiary (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 0.70 [95% CI = 0.44-0.91]; p = 0.036) and a duration from diagnosis below 5 years (AOR = 1.74 [95% CI = 1.01-3.00]; p = 0.046) were significantly associated with high HIV-related stigma. CONCLUSION: About three out of every five PLHIVA receiving ART in Bamenda Regional Hospital still experience high levels of HIV-related stigma. This occurs more frequently in participants with low educational status, and who may have known their HIV status for less than 5 years. Anti-HIV-stigma programs in the North West Region need strengthening with intensified psychosocial follow-up of newly diagnosed cases.

Feasibility of thermocoagulation in a screen-and-treat approach for the treatment of cervical precancerous lesions in sub-Saharan Africa.

BACKGROUND: The use of thermocoagulation for the treatment of cervical precancerous lesions has recently generated a great deal of interest. Our aim was to determine the feasibility of this outpatient procedure in the context of a cervical cancer (CC) screen-and-treat campaign in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: Between July and December 2015, women living in the area of Dschang (Cameroon) aged between 30 and 49 years, were enrolled in a CC screening study. HPV self-sampling was performed as a primary screening test and women who were either "HPV 16/18/45-positive" or "positive to other HPV types and to VIA" were considered screen-positive, thus requiring further management. The primary outcome was the percentage of screen-positive patients who met the criteria to undergo thermocoagulation. The secondary outcome was the assessment of the procedure's side effects immediately after treatment and at the 1-month follow-up visit. RESULTS: A total of 1012 women were recruited in the study period. Among 121 screen-positive women, 110 of them (90.9%) were eligible to be treated with thermocoagulation. No patients discontinued treatment because of pain or other side effects. The mean ± SD (Standard Deviation) score measured on the 10-point Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was 3.0 ± 1.6. Women having less than 2 children were more likely to report a higher pain score than those with more than two (4.2 ± 2.0 versus 2.9 ± 1.5, respectively; p value = 0.016). A total of 109/110 (99.1%) patients came to the 1-month follow-up visit. Vaginal discharge was reported in 108/109 (99.1%) patients throughout the month following treatment. Three patients (2.8%) developed vaginal infection requiring local antibiotics. No hospitalizations were required. CONCLUSION: The majority of screen-positive women met the criteria and could be treated by thermocoagulation. The procedure was associated to minor side effects and is overall feasible in the context of a CC screen-and-treat campaign in sub-Saharan Africa. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was retrospectively registered on November 11, 2015 with the identifier: ISRCTN99459678 .

Determinants of unmet need for family planning among women in Urban Cameroon: a cross sectional survey in the Biyem-Assi Health District, Yaoundé.

BACKGROUND: With the unacceptably high level of unmet need for family planning in Sub-Saharan Africa, reducing unmet need is paramount in the fight against the high levels of induced abortions, maternal and neonatal morbi-mortality. A clear understanding of the determinants of unmet need for family planning is indispensable in this light. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of unmet need for family planning in Urban Cameroon while identifying major determinants of unmet need among women in a union in Urban Cameroon. METHODS: A community based cross sectional study was conducted from March 2015 to April 2015 during which 370 women in a union were recruited using cluster multistep sampling in the Biyem-Assi Health District, Yaounde. Data were collected using a pretested and validated questionnaire. Proportions and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated with the Westoff/DHS method used to estimate unmet need for family planning and the odds ratio used as measure of association with statistical significant threshold set at p-value ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Of the 370 eligible women included, the mean age was 29.9 ± 6.8 years, and 61.1% were married. The prevalence of unmet need for family planning was 20.4 (16.4-24.8)% with 14.2 (11.2-18.7)% having an unmet need for spacing and 6.2 (3.6-8.7)% an unmet need for limiting. Husband's approval of contraception had a statistically significant protective association with unmet need (AOR = 0.52 [0.30-0.92], p = 0.023), and discussion about family planning within the couple had a highly statistically significant protective association with unmet need (AOR = 0.39 [0.21-0.69], p = 0.001). The major reason for non-use of contraception among women with unmet need was the fear of side effects. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of unmet need of family planning among women in the Biyem-Assi Health District remains high. Husband's approval of contraception and couples' discussion about family planning are two major factors to be considered when planning interventions to reduce unmet need for family planning. Family planning activities focused on couples or including men could be useful in reducing the rate of unmet need in Cameroon.