Increasing Cervical Cancer Screening Among US Hispanics/Latinas: A Qualitative Systematic Review

Abstract

Purpose Hispanic/Latina women experience the highest cervical cancer incidence rates of any racial/ethnic group in the United States (US), and tend to present with more severe cases and experience higher mortality compared to most other populations. The goal of this qualitative systematic review was to explore existing interventions to increase cervical cancer screening among US Hispanics/Latinas and to identify characteristics of effective interventions and research gaps. Materials and Methods Six online databases were searched from their inception through June 30, 2013, using designated search terms and keywords. Peer-reviewed articles that documented an intervention designed to improve screening for cervical cancer among Hispanics/Latinas ages 18 years and older living in the US were reviewed. Data were abstracted using a standardized form to document intervention characteristics and results. Results Forty-five articles, describing 32 unique interventions, met inclusion criteria. Identified interventions consisted primarily of educational programs and/or provision of screening. Interventions used lay health advisors (LHAs), clinic-based outreach/delivery strategies, partnerships with churches, and mass media campaigns. Twelve interventions resulted in significant increases in cervical cancer screening rates. Conclusions Interventions developed utilizing theory, applying community-based participatory research approaches, and using lay health advisors were identified as having the greatest potential for improving cervical cancer screening among Hispanics/Latinas. There continues to be a need for the development of interventions in geographic areas with new and emerging Hispanic/Latino populations and that are comprehensive, follow participants for longer periods of time, and broaden the roles and build the capacities of LHAs.

Predictors of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Initiation and Completion Among Latino Mothers of 11- to 17-Year-Old Daughters Living Along the Texas-Mexico Border

“…1–3 Although routine Pap test screening has been proven to reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates, 4 Hispanic women along the Texas-Mexico border encounter both individual- and system-level barriers to Pap test screening. 5 Individual barriers 5 include a lack of comprehension of what cervical cancer is and how it can be prevented, low self-efficacy when communicating with medical providers, and attitudes/beliefs such as embarrassment, fear, and fatalism. System-level barriers 5, 6 include lack of health insurance coverage, lack of culturally and linguistically competent care, lack of transportation infrastructure, limited child care options, illegal immigrant status, and fewer health care providers in rural areas.…”

Salud es Vida: a Cervical Cancer Screening Intervention for Rural Latina Immigrant Women

“…Since Hispanics/Latinos represent the largest ethnic minority group in the U.S., efforts to improve cervical cancer prevention among this population will have a significant public health impact on incidence and mortality rates [28]. There exists variability in cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates among Hispanic/Latino subgroups, with higher rates as well as greater barriers to screening among newer immigrant Hispanic/Latina women in the Midwest, Southeast, and those living near the United States-Mexico border region, all of whom are primarily of Mexican origin [36, 32, 21]. Research has shown that some Hispanic/Latino groups such as Puerto Ricans and Cubans have higher screening rates than Mexican Americans [1].…”

“…Approximately 90% of the farmworkers in the study area – southeast Georgia – are men [19]. However, farmworker women are an understudied group with regard to cancer incidence and mortality, and there is limited evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of cervical cancer screening interventions targeting this population [4, 21]. The vast majority of farmworkers in the U.S. are of Mexican origin, and more than half are undocumented [23].…”

“…Efforts to increase cancer screening among Hispanic/Latina women have used various educational strategies including mass media, clinic-based strategies, church-based strategies, and community health workers ( promotoras de salud in Spanish) [21]. One Texas study successfully increased Pap test screening among Hispanic/Latina women in Texas using small media (videos and printed materials) combined with community health worker and navigation approaches [13].…”

Listening to the voices of Latina women: Sexual and reproductive health intervention needs and priorities in a new settlement state in the United States

“…Through this study, we built on our partnership’s experiences with Latina sexual and reproductive health (Cashman, Eng, Simán, & Rhodes, 2011; Mann, Foley, Tanner, Sun, & Rhodes, 2014; Rhodes et al, 2012) and with HoMBReS, HoMBRES-2, and HoMBReS Por un Cambio, efficacious interventions designed to reduce HIV risk among Spanish-speaking Latino men in NC (Rhodes, 2012). …”