Early cervical cancer symptoms in women from rural areas are being mistaken for urinary tract infections, side effects of family planning or other chronic health problems.
This often leads to prolonged delays before a proper diagnosis, which comes when the disease is both costly and difficult to treat, a new study suggests.
The study, titled ‘It was not normal, and I had to find a doctor and tell him: Kenyan Women’s Response to Cervical Cancer Symptoms,’ reveals the obstacles rural women face when experiencing symptoms of cervical cancer.
Most women now undergoing chemotherapy continuously misinterpreted the symptoms as signs of milder conditions.
“I started feeling sick in my stomach... I thought it was just a normal stomach ache,” shared one woman, reflecting the common initial reaction among many participants to delay care until symptoms worsened significantly.
While the findings may not be generalisable beyond that population, they offer important insight into why most diagnosis in Kenya happens late.
The authors, who include medics and treatment access advocates, analysed qualitative interviews with 29 rural women currently undergoing cervical cancer treatment at the Machakos Level 5 Referral Hospital.
In the study, women said they innocently dismissed early signs, such as intermittent pain or discharge, as manageable - until symptoms intensified. Out of 29 participants, 15 sought medical care only after experiencing severe, persistent pain, some of whom waited until symptoms such as abnormal discharge or bleeding worsened.
One woman said: “I felt very severe pain in the stomach which I did not know what it was, so when I came and tested, I was diagnosed with cancer.”
Another significant factor contributing to delayed diagnoses is the misinterpretation of symptoms by both patients and healthcare providers.
One participant thought the bleeding she experienced was due to prolonged use of contraceptives. “I thought it might be the family planning medicines since I have used them for 17 years.”
For others, healthcare providers initially misdiagnosed the symptoms, attributing them to urinary tract infections or other conditions.
The authors noted that a cervical
cancer diagnosis in rural Kenya is
also hampered by cost.
“We contributed a certain amount
to do one test first,” one participant
shared, adding that this piecemeal
approach to diagnostics took several
months.
In addition to financial constraints,
many women faced prolonged wait
times at public hospitals.
