UPTAKE OF CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING IN INDIAAND ITS SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CORRELATES: AN ANALYSIS OF NFHS-5

Cervical cancer is a major preventable cancer that impacts women, especially in lower- and middle-income nations. This research investigates how socio-demographic factors impact the participation of Indian women aged 30-49 in screening of cancer cervix with data from NFHS-5. Even though it can be avoided, just 1.56% females surveyed reported receiving screening. The examination shows that women who have higher levels of education, greater wealth, and live in urban areas are more inclined to engage in screening. Women who were wealthier and more educated had the highest levels of screening, whereas rural women had lower uptake, urban women had a 2.09% rate compared to 1.38% for rural women. Older age, tertiary education, and wealth were all linked to higher rates of screening participation. The results emphasize signicant differences in cervical cancer screening access, showing the importance of focused efforts to enhance awareness and availability, especially in underserved and rural areas. This study offers crucial and critical evidence on how to decrease cervical cancer deaths in India by improving screening measures.