Rural-urban disparities in cervical cancer screening uptake and its predictors among women aged 30–49 years in Ghana: a multivariate decomposition analysis

Cervical cancer screening uptake remains significantly lower among rural women compared to urban women in Ghana. The rural-urban disparities in cervical cancer screening uptake were largely due to differences in socio-demographic, socio-economic and behavioural characteristics. Key predictors of cervical cancer screening uptake included older age, higher education levels, more frequent visits to health facilities, and belonging to wealthier households. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, such as mobile screening units, community-based education, enhanced media campaigns, and subsidising the cost of cervical cancer screening, to address access barriers and improve equitable uptake across rural and urban settings.