Title: Factors Associated with Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women of Reproductive Age
in Ghana
Version: 2 Date: 08 Aug 2024
Reviewer:  Marco la Verde
Reviewer's report:
Dear Authors,
I am grateful for the opportunity granted to me to critically look through your manuscript entitled
"Correlates of Cervical Cancer Screening among Women of Reproductive Age in Ghana." This
study is novel, covers a very critical area of public health, and gives important insights that will
be added to the very little literature concerning correlates of cervical cancer screening uptake
in Ghana.
Below are detailed major and minor revisions that need to be done further to improve the
manuscript.
Abstract:
1.1 Results: Include the actual numerical values of any reported odds ratios and confidence
intervals from the abstract to make the key results apparent.
1.2 Conclusion: The conclusion should clearly and concisely be in terms of major findings and
what those findings might imply for public health policy.
Hello,
INTRODUCTION
2.1 Give more detailed background to the context of cervical cancer screening and the current
rate of cervical cancer screening in Ghana.
2.2 Clearly present the researching hypostasis or the question that this study guides toward, so
a clear framework for the analysis should be presented.
Study Build and Population:
3.1 Provide a brief justification for the use of the data on Ghana's 2022 GDHS and the
justifications for including women of reproductive age in the analysis.
The authors further elaborate on the ethical concerns and all approvals taken by sharing
additional information in the process of sectional observation the study followed.
Random Measures:
4.3 These are open-ended questions that must be answered on a case-to-case basis. What is
more important then is the clarity of descriptions of the definitions and categories of important
variables, the key ones being educational attainment and wealth index.
4.4 Describe what is going to be measured and the classification of the outcome variable.
Data Analysis:
4.5 Discuss logistic regression models with details on a choice of covariates.
4.6 Sensitivity analyses implemented such that the results are not dependent on the series.
Results:
Descriptive Statistics:
5 It should be ensured that the features of the baseline study population are presented fully and
coherently so that maybe a graphical representation is to be used, instead of simple reference
to tables and graphs.
Results :
6.1 Explain the relevant socio-demographic factors attributable to variation in cervical cancer
screening test uptake.
During the process of data analysis, findings in the study that were surprising were leaked out
from the system.
Discussion:
Findings Interpretation:
Interpret in further particulars the central findings illuminating literature.
7.2 Specify the putative mechanisms through which the identified factors could translate into
raising cervical cancer screening uptake.
7.3 The strengths of the study should be well-outlined, for instance, by using a largenationally
representative sample.
7.4 Discuss more on the limitations, including potential biases, and that study-level data coming
from a cross-sectional study markedly limit causal inferences. Meaning that, practice guidelines
are
7.5 Discuss the implications of results concerning practical situations; for example, implications
for public health policy and interventions to increase cervical cancer screening in Ghana.
7.6 Make specific, concrete policy recommendations from your study's findings.
7.7 Explain the relevant socio-demographic factors attributable to variation in cervical cancer
screening test uptake.
During the process of data analysis, findings in the study that were surprising were leaked out
from the system.
7.8 Line 234-237, to support the following sentence: "In Ghana, even though there is no national
vaccination program for HPV, health insurance owners are more likely to frequent health
facilities, establish contact with healthcare providers, and get informed or encouraged to uptake
available cervical cancer screening services." suggest the following two paper about the HPV
vaccination:
https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina58070860
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.805695
Conclusion:
8.1 For the sake of ensuring, make sure that the conclusion of the manuscript will be clearly
stated to sum up the findings and its relation to the public health practice.
8.2 Clear identification of recommendations for future research to fill the gap or other issues.
Conclusion The manuscript is very informative about what determines accessing cervical
screening among women in Ghana. The above will not only bring more clarity but also boost
coherence and impact in your research. I look forward to the revision. Best regards,