This descriptive-quantitative study aimed to determine the acceptability of cervical cancer screening using Visual Inspection of the Cervix with Acetic Acid (VIA) among women living in Barangay Lukuan, Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur. Pamphlet distribution with lecture as Health Education Approach to relay information about cervical cancer, disease burden, risk, potential impact on women's health, importance of screening and the VIA overview process were rendered. With the utilization of the convenience sampling technique requiring at least 47 respondents, this study had a total of 60 respondents joining and completing the study. Women’s perceptions and acceptance of cervical cancer screening using VIA method was initially assessed during the pre-intervention phase. After 2 weeks, a health education program was organized which was followed by the conduct of an actual VIA procedure. Informed consents were secured from the 49 women (81.7%) who have consented to undergo the screening using the VIA method and were later asked to answer an exit survey questionnaire exploring their perception and satisfaction with the VIA procedure performed on them. Of the 11 (18.3%) women who refused to undergo the VIA procedure were asked to answer an exit survey questionnaire exploring their reasons for their refusal to undergo VIA. In the study where the acceptance rate was also determined and noted with a difference of 38.4% before and after the Health Education intervention. Common reasons for acceptance of cervical cancer screening using VIA were the availability of the procedure in their barangay and the favorability of the screening schedule. Further, common reasons reflecting women’s refusal of screening using VIA include: being embarrassed to undergo genital examination, finding the procedure time consuming, concerns on the discomfort they may experience during the procedure, perceiving that they are not at risk to develop cervical cancer and fearing the diagnosis of cancer. The study concludes that the acceptability of cervical cancer screening using VIA was high by 81.7% among women living in the rural community of Lukuan where there was no history of cervical cancer screening introduced. 2018

Keyword: Cervical cancer screening Visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid