Abstract
Introduction: Uterine cervical neoplasms (UCN) [Cervical cancer] remains a major public health challenge in Zimbabwe, with an incidence rate of 61.7 per 100,000 women, ranking among the highest in Africa. Despite government initiatives to promote UCN screening and the Papillomavirus vaccines (PV) vaccination hesitancy persists among rural women.
Methods: This study explored how Indigenous Traditional Medical Knowledge Systems (ITMKS) and Indigenous Religious Medical Knowledge (IRMK) influence HPV vaccination hesitancy in Zimbabwe. A qualitative case study design was employed with rural women aged 18–60 years purposively selected. Data were collected through 25 individual interviews and six focus group discussions (FGD).
Results: Results revealed three main themes influencing PV vaccination uptake among rural female population. First, herbal remedies and natural foods, reinforced beliefs that traditional treatments are for treating UCN. Second, indigenous religious knowledge systems shaped perceptions of UCN as a spiritual condition that requires faith-based healing practices thus reducing confidence in biomedical interventions. Third, PV vaccine hesitancy was influenced by fear, misconceptions and structural barriers to health facilities.
Conclusion: The study concludes that PV vaccination hesitancy among rural women is mainly influenced by factors which can be grouped into Three Cs (Confidence, Complacency, and Convenience). Integrating indigenous knowledge and indigenous religious beliefs and practices into public health strategies could improve PV vaccination uptake.