Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Cervical cancer knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices of women aged at least 25 
years in Harare, Zimbabwe  
 
Version: 1 Date: 05 Apr 2019  
Reviewer: Amos Mwaka  
Reviewer's report:  
Dear Authors,  
 
Thank you for addressing some of the issues raised in the earlier review.  
I have engaged with the different mixed methods approaches. I find it difficult to understand why 
you consider it necessary to conduct a mixed methods to pursue the question you answered. 
While it would be acceptable to understand the nuances in perception s and beliefs about cervical 
cancer that could influence screening and health seeking, the manner in which the participants 
have been selected seems to defeat the very purpose for which the study was conducted.  
The healthy women within the city, who you c hoose not to label as controls are different in many 
ways from the patients who are from all around the country. In your response you say the 
patients where mainly from the city, so to make them appear to be similar to the healthy women. 
You might perhaps want to clearly say that:  
(i) you conducted a case -control study and then ensure that the manner of selection of 
participants fulfil that design, or  
(ii) categorically state in exclusion criteria that women from other regions other than the city 
were not included among the patients, OR  
(iii) simply leave out data from the "Healthy women" and deal with patient data and health 
care professionals as well as policy makers; ensuring that the policymakers included are 
those relevant to cervical cancer control.  
(iv) Leave out the patients and deal with the healthy women and the other participants  
I appreciate the serious engagement you have done following the first round of comments. Please 
revisit the manuscript, aware that it will remain out there for people to read, and should therefore 
provide valid knowledge that are useful for cervical cancer control and care.  
Kind regards  
Are the methods appropriate and well descri bed?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interes ts 
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