The Impact of Obesity on Gynecologic Cancer Screening: An Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

Further research is needed to clarify the challenges that obese women face in accessing care and to evaluate strategies such as ensuring the availability of appropriate equipment and supplies, the use of alternative screening methodologies, and more culturally sensitive counseling approaches that may improve screening rates in obese women.

The Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Cancer Screening Utilization Among Older Women in Latin American and Caribbean Cities

“…Our findings on the association between being overweight or obese and higher Pap smear screening is in agreement with only one study (Yancy et al 2010). On the other hand, our findings differ from many other studies where being overweight or obese was associated with lower Pap smear screening (Aldrich & Hackley, 2010;Cohen et al, 2008;Fontaine et al, 1998;Maruthur et al, 2008;Mitchell et al, 2008;Park et al, 2012;Tekkel et al, 2011).…”

“…In the total study sample, we found that women who were underweight were less likely to have had a mammogram, a breast self-exam, and a Pap smear, relative to women of normal weight. However, overweight or obese women were more likely to have a breast self-exam and a Pap smear; so, these findings are in disagreement with most of other studies in the literature (Aldrich & Hackley, 2010;Cohen et al, 2008;Edwards et al, 2010;Ferrante et al, 2007;Fontaine et al, 1998Fontaine et al, , 2001Ludman et al, 2010;Maruthur et al, 2008Maruthur et al, , 2009Mitchell et al, 2008;Østbye et al, 2005;Park et al, 2012;Tekkel et al, 2011;Zhu et al, 2006).…”

“…Three population-based surveys revealed that obese women were less likely than normal-weight women to be up to date on Pap smear screenings (Ferrante et al, 2007;Fontaine et al, 1998Fontaine et al, , 2001. The link between obesity and lower rates of cervical cancer screening is further supported by three meta-analyses (Aldrich & Hackley, 2010;Cohen et al, 2008;Maruthur et al, 2008).…”

“…Obese women are also less likely to receive Pap smears as a screening method for cervical cancer (Aldrich & Hackley, 2010;Cohen et al, 2008;Ferrante et al, 2007;Fontaine, Faith, Allison, & Cheskin, 1998;Fontaine et al, 2001;Ludman et al, 2010;Maruthur, Bolen, Brancati & Clark, 2008;Mitchell, Padwal, Chuck, &Klarenbach, 2008;Østbye et al, 2005;Park, Park, Park, & Cho, 2012;Tekkel, Veideman, & Rahu, 2011;Wee, Phillips, & McCarthy, 2005). For instance, studies reported that severely obese White women were less likely to undergo Pap smear compared to normal-weight women (Ludman et al, 2010;Mitchell et al, 2008;Park et al, 2012;Tekkel et al, 2011;Wee et al, 2005).…”

Lifestyle and health-related predictors of cervical cancer screening attendance in a Swiss population-based study

“…Nelson et al reported that smokers, obese women and women with psychological distress participated less often in CC screening (Nelson et al, 2009). Obesity was shown to be a predictor of lower CC screening attendance in a variety of studies; nonetheless, opposite or null results between obesity and screening participation were observed in some other studies (Aldrich and Hackley, 2010;Cohen et al, 2008). A systematic review came to the conclusion that perceived screening facilities--related barriers and perceived psychological barriers to CC screening were associated with lower screening participation (Bukowska--Durawa and Luszczynska, 2014).…”