Visual inspection with acetic acid screening for cervical cancer among women receiving anti-retroviral therapy for human immunodeficiency virus infection in northern Tanzania.

Aim: To evaluate visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) screening for cervical cancer among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients in an East African community.

Methods: During a July 2018 cervical cancer screen-and-treat in Mwanza, Tanzania, participants were offered free cervical VIA screening, cryotherapy when indicated, and HIV testing. Acetowhite lesions and/or abnormal vascularity were designated VIA positive in accordance with current guidelines.

Implementation of human papillomavirus video education for women participating in mass cervical cancer screening in Tanzania.

Background: Because the global disease burden of cervical cancer is greatest in Africa, the World Health Organization has endorsed visual inspection with acetic acid screening with cryotherapy triage for the screen-and-treat approach. With the lowest doctor-to-patient ratio worldwide (1:50,000), Tanzania has nearly 10,000 new cases of cervical cancer and 7000 deaths annually.

Objective: We report on the feasibility of visual inspection with acetic acid in the severely resource-limited Mwanza district and on the impact of intervening education on baseline human papillomavirus and cervical cancer knowledge.