Prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus infection and cervical lesions among female migrant head porters (kayayei) in Accra, Ghana: a pilot cross-sectional study

• Published in: BMC public health 2024-03, Vol.24 (1), p.659-11, Article 659
• Main Authors: Tekpor, Ethel, Effah, Kofi, Sifa, Jerry, Amuah, Joseph Emmanuel, Essel, Nana Owusu Mensah, Kemawor, Seyram, Wormenor, Comfort Mawusi, Sesenu, Edna, Danyo, Stephen, Akakpo, Patrick Kafui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetic Acid; Analysis; Cancer screening; Care and treatment; Central business districts; Cervical cancer; Complications and side effects; Condylomata Acuminata; Confidence intervals; Consent; Contraceptive Agents; Contraceptives; Cross-Sectional Studies; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Diagnosis; DNA; DNA, Viral; Early Detection of Cancer; Female; Females; Genetic testing; Ghana - epidemiology; Health aspects; Health equality; Health insurance; Human papillomavirus; Human papillomavirus infections; Humans; Infections; Inspection; Internal migrant workers; Lesions; Medical screening; Mortality; Papillomavirus infections; Papillomavirus Infections - prevention & control; Pilot Projects; Pregnancy; Prevalence; Prevalence studies (Epidemiology); Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Risk; Risk Factors; Sexually transmitted diseases; Social aspects; Sociodemographics; Statistical analysis; STD; Transients and Migrants; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - diagnosis; Vagina; Warts; Women immigrants; Womens health; Women’s health
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18094-9

Little attention has been given to the risk of high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) infection and cervical precancerous lesions among female migrant head porters (kayayei) in Ghana, as a vulnerable group, and to promote cervical screening in these women. This pilot study aimed to determine the prevalence of hr-HPV infection and cervical lesions among kayayei in Accra, the capital of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana and to describe our approach to triaging and treating these women. This descriptive cross-sectional cohort study involved the screening of 63 kayayei aged ≥ 18 years at the Tema Station and Agbogbloshie markets in March 2022 and May 2022. Concurrent hr-HPV DNA testing (with the MA-6000 platform) and visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) was performed. We present prevalence estimates for hr-HPV DNA positivity and VIA 'positivity' as rates, together with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We performed univariate and multivariable nominal logistic regression to explore factors associated with hr-HPV infection. Gross vulvovaginal inspection revealed vulval warts in 3 (5.0%) and vaginal warts in 2 (3.3%) women. Overall, the rate of hr-HPV positivity was 33.3% (95% CI, 21.7-46.7), whereas the VIA 'positivity' rate was 8.3% (95% CI, 2.8-18.4). In the univariate logistic regression analysis, none of the sociodemographic and clinical variables assessed, including age, number of prior pregnancies, parity, past contraceptive use, or the presence of abnormal vaginal discharge showed statistically significant association with hr-HPV positivity. After controlling for age and past contraceptive use, only having fewer than two prior pregnancies (compared to having ≥ 2) was independently associated with reduced odds of hr-HPV infection (adjusted odds ratio, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.02-0.69). In this relatively young cohort with a high hr-HPV positivity rate of 33.3% and 8.3% of women showing cervical lesions on visual inspection, we posit that kayayei may have an increased risk of developing cervical cancer if their accessibility to cervical precancer screening services is not increased.