Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Needs among Hispanic Women Living on the US-Mexico Border

Abstract

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common type of female cancer and has a disproportionate impact on Hispanic women living on the US-Mexico border, especially those who are migrants or low-income. However, cervical cancer is primarily caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that can be successfully prevented and treated early with vaccination and screening. Several studies have explored factors affecting HPV prevention and cervical cancer screening among Hispanic women, but the experiences of Hispanic women who have had cervical cancer have rarely been studied. This paper will present the experiences of Hispanic women (N = 10) who survived cervical cancer, including barriers to care, services needed and received, self-care measures taken, and a series of recommendations for policy makers and the surrounding medical community to help prevent and treat this illness that, without proper treatment, can be fatal.