PLoS One. 2025 Feb 18;20(2):e0318941. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0318941. eCollection 2025.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer (CC) is preventable, yet remains a significant public health threat, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite considerable awareness, screening rates for CC in Kenya are low and loss to follow-up following treatment for premalignant cervical lesions remains high. This study investigates the efficacy of the Cancer Tracking System (CATSystem), a web-based intervention, to improve CC screening and treatment retention.
METHODS: A matched, cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted in Kenyan government hospitals (n = 10) with five intervention and five standard-of-care (SOC) sites. The primary outcome is the proportion of women with a positive screen who receive appropriate treatment (onsite or referral). Secondary outcomes include CC screening uptake among all women and timeliness of treatment initiation. We will utilize mixed methods to assess intervention feasibility, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness.
DISCUSSION: The CATSystem has the potential to improve CC care in Kenya by leveraging existing technology to address known barriers in the screening and treatment cascade. This study will provide valuable evidence for potential scale-up of the intervention.
PMID:39965035 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0318941