Breast cancer screening among married women in Tanzania: does household structure matter?

Abstract

Abstract Research in sub-Saharan Africa has indicated that polygamous arrangements can detrimentally affect married women’s access to various healthcare services, including sexual and reproductive healthcare services. However, despite the pivotal role of breast cancer examination in a comprehensive campaign dedicated to early detection, very little attention has been devoted in the literature to the potential impact of family structure on access to breast cancer screening among married women in Tanzania. Using the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey, we addressed this void in the literature. We found that only 6% of married women have undergone breast cancer screening at the national level. Moreover, findings from multivariate logit regression analysis indicate that married women from monogamous marriages were more likely to have undergone breast cancer screening compared to their polygamous counterparts, even after accounting for demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare characteristics (OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.24, 2.64). Based on these findings, we discussed potential implications for policymakers as well as directions for future research.

Keywords

• Breast cancer screening
• Polygamy
• Tanzania
• Demographic and health survey