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Carcinoma of the cervix in American Indian women
Author(s) -
Jordan Scott W.,
Munsick Robert A.,
Stone Robert S.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(196905)23:5<1227::aid-cncr2820230533>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - medicine , cervix , population , childbirth , gynecology , obstetrics , carcinoma , cervical carcinoma , cervical cancer , demography , pregnancy , cancer , pathology , environmental health , sociology , biology , genetics
The frequency of cervical carcinoma as indicated by suspicious cervical cytologic smears and biopsy results is reported for Southwestern Indians and Caucasian residents of New Mexico, matched as closely as possible for age and socio‐economic level. Despite conditions of poverty, multiple pregnancies, early coitus, and uncircumcised consorts, Southwestern Indian women apparently have a lower rate of cervical carcinoma than age‐matched Caucasian controls. The lower frequency of cervical carcinoma found in Indians is interpreted to be at least partly the result of delay in first births relative to Caucasians in the study population. Evidence is presented that delay in first pregnancies among Indians is not due to cultural factors but to a period of transient adolescent sterility. In our study population, age at first childbirth seems to be a more significant determinant of subsequent cervical carcinoma than age at first coitus.