Open AccessNon-attendance in cervical cancer screening among migrant women in Portugal: A cross-sectional study
Author(s) -
Patrícia Marques,
Mariana Geraldes,
Ana Gama,
Bruno Heleno,
Sónia Dias
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
women's health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.363
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1745-5065
pISSN - 1745-5057
DOI - 10.1177/17455057221093034
Subject(s) - attendance , medicine , cervical cancer , cross sectional study , logistic regression , socioeconomic status , demography , inequality , environmental health , cervical cancer screening , cancer , gerontology , population , mathematical analysis , mathematics , pathology , sociology , economics , economic growth
Objectives: Cervical cancer has a high mortality rate among women worldwide. Although cervical cancer screening (CCS) is an effective strategy in reducing mortality of the disease, inequalities in accessing screening exist, particularly among migrant women. This study aims to characterize migrant women’s participation in CCS and determine factors associated with non-attendance to CCS.Methods: A cross-sectional study based on a web-based survey targeting adult migrant women living in Portugal was conducted. Prevalence of non-attendance to CCS was examined, and its associations with socioeconomic, migration-related, and health-related factors were determined using adjusted logistic regression models.Results: A total of 1100 migrant women were included in the study. Prevalence of CCS non-attendance was 24.5%. CCS non-attendance was associated with younger age, being born in Africa or Asia, being single/divorced/widowed, never having had a GP appointment in Portugal and not having regular gynecology appointments. Being born in South and Central America, shorter length of stay in Portugal, having had HPV vaccination, and not having children are associated with CCS attendance.Conclusion: These findings point out that an important percentage of migrant women do not attend CCS. Strategies to increase participation should be developed, considering the inequalities identified and designed to target the specific needs of migrant women to improve their CCS attendance and increase cervical cancer prevention.