Paper short abstract:

This ethnographic study has found cultural and institutional barriers to the uptake of screening for cervical cancer. "Cancer" as a prefabricated term has a horrifying meaning among women.The use of terms belonging to women's symbolic system is needed to increase preventive attitudes and practices

Paper long abstract:

Caused by Human Papillomavirus, cervical cancer is a big concern, and the 4th major cancer in women worldwide, with about 5527,624 new cases and 265,672 deaths in 2012. Nearly 90% of these deaths occur in low-and-middle-income countries and are mostly associated to late detection of precancerous lesions. The World Health Organization highlights the prevention as the most cost-effective strategy, capable of preventing up to 80% of cervical cancer deaths. Several countries from Sub-Saharan region of Africa have introduced cervical cancer prevention programs, and there are available low-cost techniques like the visual inspection with acetic acid. Nevertheless, a range of barriers limit women from accessing and using these services. In Mozambique, where cervical cancer prevalence ranges from 40 to 96%, only 1% of women aged 30-55 are screened each year. Through an ethnographic study undertaken in the District of Xai-Xai, cultural and institutional barriers came up to be associated with low compliance with cervical cancer screening. Among them, the burden of "cancer" terminology to mean what in women's linguistic system means "cervical wounds" was found as huge barrier, as "cancer" was related to an often silent, unpreventable, untreatable, and deadly disease.For women to take preventive attitude to cervical cancer, screening need to be embedded in women's symbolic system. Bringing local knowledge rather than prefabricated categories is urgent