Cervical Cytology Abnormalities and their Clinical Correlates of Women Attending a Tertiary Health Institution in a Tribal Area of Jharkhand, India

Background: The second most common malignant tumor in developing countries including India is cervical cancer. Lack of awareness, asymptomatic nature of the disease, and poor health-seeking results in delayed diagnosis and bad prognosis. The present study aims to estimate cervical cytological abnormalities in women of the largest tribal part of India. Materials and methods: About 280 women from six districts of Santhal Pargana (the largest tribal area of India) were given a Papanicolaou smear test from August to October 2022 in AIIMS Deoghar to find an infection, cervical lesions, and reactive changes. Data on the sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics of the study population was collected through a structured questionnaire. Information, education and communication (IEC) clearance was obtained. The collected data have been analyzed through statistical package for social studies (SPSS). Results: The study results show the presence of abnormal cervical cytology to be 9.3% of the study population. Out of 280 participants, 23 (8.2%) showed normal cytology and 232 (82.9%) were inflammatory. A diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) was present in 18 (6.4%) cases, atypical glandular cells (AGC) in 3 (1.1%), and 5 (1.8%) patients had a low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) exhibiting koilocytic atypia. White discharge per vagina and poor hygiene were associated significantly with abnormal cervical cytology. Conclusion: Abnormal cytology was found in 9.3% of the participants and a history of white discharge per vagina and poor hygiene were significantly associated. Regular screening and educating them on clinical features and hygiene helps to prevent cancer of the cervix among them.