Factors associated with non-participation in cervical cancer screening - A nationwide study of nearly half a million women in Denmark

Educational inequalities in cervical cancer screening participation in 24 European countries

OBJECTIVES

Cervical cancer screening (CCS) is an important public health measure for early detection of cervical cancer and prevents a large proportion of cervical cancer deaths. However, participation in CCS is relatively low and varies substantially by country and socio-economic position. This study aimed to provide up-to-date participation rates and estimates on educational inequalities in CCS participation in 24 European countries with population-based CCS programmes.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Using data from the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) conducted in 2019, 80,479 women aged 25-64 years were included in the analyses. First, standardized participation rates and standardized participation rates by educational attainment were calculated for all 24 countries based on each country-specific screening programme organization. Second, a series of generalized logistic models was applied to assess the effect of education on CCS participation.

RESULTS

Screening participation rates ranged from 34.1% among low-educated women in Romania to 97.1% among high-educated women in Finland. We observed that lower-educated women were less likely to attend CCS than their higher-educated counterparts. Largest educational gaps were found in Sweden (odds ratio [OR] = 6.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.89-10.35) and Poland (odds ratio = 5.80, 95% CI = 4.34-7.75).

CONCLUSION

Population-based screening initiatives have successfully reduced participation differences between women with medium and high educational attainment in some countries; however, persistent disparities still exist between women with low and high levels of education. There is an urgent need to increase participation rates of CCS, especially among lower-educated women.

The association of demographic and socioeconomic variables with cancer screening participation: A national cross-sectional study of three cancer screening programs in Denmark

Objective

To analyze the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of non-participation in cervical, colorectal and breast cancer screening programs in Denmark.

Study design and setting

We conducted a cross-sectional study involving all women aged 53-65 years residing in Denmark on March 31, 2018, utilizing comprehensive individual data from population registries. Logistic regression models were employed to assess associations between demographic and socioeconomic factors and non-participation compared with participating in one, two, and three cancer screening programs, presenting odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Both unadjusted and adjusted models were applied for each level of screening participation.

Results

Significant associations with non-participation in the three cancer screening programs were observed across all demographic and socioeconomic covariates considered. Women with low incomes demonstrated the highest likelihood of non-participation (none vs. three programs attended, OR: 2.95, 95 % CI: 2.82-3.08). Similarly, increased odds of non-participation were noted among immigrants (Western immigrants: OR: 2.08, 95 % CI: 1.96-2.21; non-Western immigrants OR 1.26 95 % CI: 1.20-1.32), women living alone (OR: 2.08, 95 % CI: 2.02-2.14), women outside the labor force (OR: 1.92, 95 % CI: 1.86-1.99), and women with lower educational levels (OR: 1.44, 95 % CI: 1.39-1.50) in the model comparing non-participation to participating in three screening programs. A progressive intensification of the association with non-participation was noted with each incremental increase in screening participation (from one to two to three programs).

Conclusions

Demographic and socioeconomic variables are significantly associated with non-participation in all three Danish cancer screening programs, particularly affecting women from vulnerable demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Future research should prioritize strategies to enhance participation within this subgroup, aiming to alleviate social inequities in cancer screening.

Women's experiences with opting out of cervical cancer screening and the role of the nurse in the women's decision-making process

AIM

To explore Danish women's experiences with opting out of cervical cancer screening and the role of the nurse in the women's decision-making process.

DESIGN

A qualitative study using semi-structured, individual interviews with a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach.

METHODS

Interviews were conducted with 13 women with experience in opting out of cervical cancer screening. Women were recruited through a public flyer and interviewed virtually or by phone. The interviews were analysed using the theory of interpretation from Paul Ricoeur and consisted of three levels: naïve reading, structural analysis, and critical discussion and analysis. The present study adheres to the COREQ guidelines.

RESULTS

The women experience various personal causes for opting out of cervical cancer screening, such as low accessibility of screening appointments, discomfort during the smear test, fear of being sick, and insufficient information about the relevance of screening to the individual woman. The perceived disadvantages of screening outweighed their perceived advantages. The women's experiences did not include the role of the nurse in the procedures and knowledge sharing related to cervical cancer screening. However, nurses were described as having good communicative and relational qualifications relevant to being involved in cervical cancer screening.

CONCLUSION

It was challenging for the women to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of cervical cancer screening and thus to make an informed decision about participation. They expressed a need for more information on which to base their decision. This places nurses in a much needed, yet unexplored, role of identifying and lowering potential personal barriers that may outweigh the women's perceived benefits of participating in screening.

IMPLICATION FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE

Nurses should play a more active role in cervical cancer screening such as improving general knowledge and facilitating two-way communication about its relevance.

REPORTING METHOD

The present study adheres to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contribution.

A systematic review of the cost-effectiveness of interventions to increase cervical cancer screening among underserved women in Europe

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of the cost-effectiveness studies of interventions to increase cervical cancer screening uptake rates in underserved women in Europe.

METHODS

A search of Embase, Medline, Global Health, PsychINFO, and NHS Economic Evaluation Database was conducted for studies published between January 2000 and September 2022. Studies were eligible if they analysed the cost-effectiveness of any interventions to improve participation in cervical cancer screening among underserved women of any age eligible to participate in cervical cancer screening in European countries, in any language. Study characteristics and cost-effectiveness results were summarised. Study quality was assessed using the Drummond Checklist, and methodological choices were further compared.

RESULTS

The searches yielded 962 unique studies, with 17 of these (from twelve European countries) meeting the eligibility criteria for data extraction. All studies focused on underscreened women as an overarching group, with no identified studies focusing on specific subgroups of underserved women. Generally, self-HPV testing and reminder interventions were shown to be cost-effective to increase the uptake rates. There was also research showing that addressing access issues and adopting different screening modalities could be economically attractive in some settings, but the current evidence is insufficient due to the limited number of studies.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review has revealed a gap in the literature on the cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve uptake rates of cervical cancer screening through tailored provision for specific groups of underserved women.

Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and fecundability: a prospective cohort study

STUDY QUESTION

Is cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) associated with reduced fecundability, defined as the probability of conceiving per menstrual cycle?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Overall, we observed no meaningful association between CIN and fecundability, regardless of surgical status, although a recent diagnosis of moderate or severe CIN might be associated with slightly reduced fecundability for 2 years after diagnosis.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

About 15% of couples experience infertility. Few studies have examined the influence of CIN on fertility, and the results have been inconsistent. No study has investigated the association between fecundability and pathologist-reported CIN diagnoses, particularly with respect to the recency of the specific CIN diagnoses.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

This prospective cohort study included 9586 women trying to conceive. The women were enrolled from 1 June 2007 to 3 February 2020.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

Women were invited to complete a baseline questionnaire and bimonthly follow-up questionnaires for up to 12 months or until pregnancy occurred. Data on cervical cytologies and biopsies were retrieved from The National Pathology Registry (DNPR), which holds records of all cervical specimens examined in Denmark. Women were categorized based on their most severe diagnosis of CIN: no lesion, other cervical changes, mild CIN (CIN1), or moderate/severe CIN (CIN2+) with or without surgery. To investigate the association between CIN and fecundability, we computed fecundability ratios (FR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a proportional probabilities regression model. We adjusted for age at study entry, partner age, body mass index, smoking status, timing of intercourse, parity, education, number of sexual partners, and household income.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

Compared with no lesion, the adjusted FRs (95% CI) for the association between CIN and fecundability were: other cervical lesions, 0.97 (0.91-1.04); CIN1, 1.04 (0.96-1.13); CIN2+ no surgery, 1.00 (0.82-1.22); and CIN2+ with surgery 0.99 (0.89-1.10). The FRs (95% CI) for a recent diagnosis (<2 years) of CIN were 0.98 (0.86-1.11) for other cervical lesions; 1.13 (0.99-1.29) for CIN1; 0.89 (0.62-1.26) for CIN2+ no surgery and 0.91 (0.75-1.10) for CIN2+ with surgery compared with the no lesion group.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

In the analyses, we adjusted for several covariates related to the women. However, we had little information on the male partners which could lead to unmeasured confounding as fecundability is a couple-based measure of fertility. Furthermore, a CIN diagnosis may not be constant as it may regress or progress spontaneously; therefore, it is possible that we have misclassified some women, especially women categorized as having normal cells or CIN1.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

Our results contribute important knowledge to women who are concerned about their future fertility after receiving a CIN diagnosis.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)

This study was funded by The Danish Cancer Society (R167-A11036-17-S2). The overall cohorts were funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01-HD086742 and R03-HD094117). The authors report no competing interests.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

N/A.

Cervical human papillomavirus prevalence according to socioeconomic and demographic characteristics in a large Danish screening population

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) prevalence according to socioeconomic and demographic characteristics in a Danish screening population.

METHODS

We used data from HPV SCREEN DENMARK, which was an implementation study embedded into the routine cervical cancer screening programme. During 2017-2020, women aged 30-59 years screened in the Region of Southern Denmark were offered HPV testing or cytology. In the HPV group, liquid-based cytology samples were tested for 14 hrHPV types. We obtained registry information on socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and used log-binomial regression to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) of hrHPV in three age groups (30-39, 40-49, 50-59 years), adjusting for age and marital status.

RESULTS

We included 31,124 HPV unvaccinated women. In all age groups, the age-adjusted hrHPV prevalence was higher in women with basic versus higher education (e.g. age 30-39: 11.9% vs. 9.5%; PRage-adjusted=1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.50); women who were unemployed vs. employed (e.g. age 30-39: 11.6% vs. 10.4%; PRage-adjusted=1.11; 95% CI: 0.95-1.28); and in women with highest vs. lowest income (e.g. age 30-39: 11.6% vs. 9.5%, PRage-adjusted=1.18, 95% CI: 0.98-1.44). In models adjusted for marital status, these associations largely disappeared.

CONCLUSIONS

We found slightly higher hrHPV prevalences in women with basic education, low income and unemployment. The differences largely disappeared when taking into account marital status as a potential proxy for sexual behaviour. Our findings support a need for targeted information on safe sexual practices and promoting socioeconomic equality in HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening participation.

Coverage and Socioeconomic Inequalities in Cervical Cancer Screening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Between 2010 and 2019

PURPOSE

Cervical cancer screening is vital in addressing the global burden of cervical cancer. In this study, we describe the coverage and socioeconomic inequalities in the coverage of cervical cancer screening in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

METHODS

We analyzed data from the women's recode files of the Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in LMICs from 2010 to 2019 with variables on cervical cancer screening. We included women 21 years or older and determined the proportion of women who were screened for cervical cancer by age categories, wealth quintile, type of place of residence, level of education, and marital status. Socioeconomic inequality was measured using the concentration index (CIX) and the slope index of inequality (SII).

RESULTS

A total of 269,506 women from 20 surveys in 16 countries were included in the survey. Generally, there was a low coverage of screening, with lower rates among women age 21-24 years, living in rural areas, in the poorest wealth quintile, with no formal education, and who have never been in union with or lived with a man. The CIX and SII values for screening for cervical cancer were positive (pro-rich) for all the countries except Tajikistan in 2012 where they were negative (pro-poor).

CONCLUSION

The coverage of cervical cancer screening was low in LMICs with variations by the quintile of wealth (pro-rich) and type of place of residence (pro-urban). To achieve the desired impact of cervical cancer screening services in LMICs, the coverage of cervical cancer screening programs must include women irrespective of the type of place and wealth quintiles.

Women's country of birth and failure to catch up an overdue cervical cancer cytological screening participation during pregnancy in France, an observational study based on survey sources

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, both for incidence and mortality. Prevention relies on screening with a Pap test to detect precancerous lesions, which can then be treated. Access to this screening is currently both improvable and inequitable. Pregnancy may be an ideal moment for women to catch up on their overdue cervical cancer screening. In the general population, women's risk of not being screened is associated with their place of birth and other social factors; this may be true as well among pregnant women. Our objective was to study the association between women's place of birth and their failure to catch up with this screening during pregnancy.

METHODS

The 2016 French National Perinatal Survey included 13,147 women who gave birth after 21 weeks of gestation. The association between their place of birth and failure to catch up on this screening (defined by the absence of a Pap test during pregnancy for women overdue for it) was adjusted for age, parity, education level, health insurance, and when they began prenatal care with logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Among the women for whom screening was then recommended, 49% were not up to date at the start of pregnancy, and of these, 53% were not caught up before delivery. After adjustment for other risk factors, maternal place of birth was not associated with a higher risk of failure to catch up with this screening during pregnancy. However, factors identified as associated with this risk included a low education level and late start of prenatal care.

CONCLUSION

About half of women overdue for cervical cancer screening did not catch up with it during their pregnancy. Professionals should pay special attention to women with lower education levels and late initiation of prenatal care, who constitute a group at high risk of not catching up on this screening during pregnancy.

Social factors and age play a significant role in cervical cancer and advanced-stage disease among Danish women

BACKGROUND

For cervical cancer (CC), the implementation of preventive strategies has the potential to make cervical cancer occurrence and death largely avoidable. To better understand the factors possibly responsible for cervical cancer, we aimed to examine possible differences in age and social parameters as well as screening status between women with low- or high-stage cervical cancer and matched controls.

METHODS

Through the Danish Cancer Registry (DCR), women diagnosed with cervical cancer in Denmark between 1987 and 2016 were included. These were age- and residence-matched in a 1:5 ratio with controls from the general female population. The study population was sub grouped into a low-stage subpopulation with women with early-stage cervical cancer and matched controls and a high-stage subpopulation with women with late-stage cervical cancer and matched controls. Age and social parameters were compared within the subpopulations as well as between low- and high-stage cases. For part of the study population, screening attendance was examined to compare differences in adherence.

RESULTS

Overall, we found that the risk of cervical cancer is significantly increased in socially disadvantaged women and not least non-attenders in screening. Interestingly, the high-stage subpopulation was significantly older than the low-stage subpopulation (p < 0.001), and when examining the impact of age further, we found that for cervical cancer cases, the risk of having low-stage disease decreases significantly with increasing age, whereas the risk of having high-stage disease increases significantly with increasing age. In the screening cohort, significantly less cases than controls were attenders in screening with the most pronounced differences seen in the old subpopulation (women aged 50-64 years) and in the high-stage subpopulation (p-values all < 0.001). Interestingly, when examining the risk of CC for attenders and non-attenders, we demonstrated that many social parameters continue to influence the risk of cervical cancer, even in women attending screening.

CONCLUSIONS

Older women, socially disadvantaged women, and non-attenders in screening are particularly vulnerable in terms of developing cervical cancer, especially high-stage disease. Therefore, improvements in the participating rate in screening as well as a revision of the current screening guidelines are needed.

Determinants of routine cervical screening participation in underserved women: a qualitative systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Routine, population-wide cervical screening programmes reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality. However, socioeconomically deprived communities and ethnic minority groups typically have lower uptake in comparison to the general population and thus are described as 'underserved.' A systematic qualitative literature review was conducted to identify relevant determinants of participation for these groups.

METHODS

Online databases were searched for relevant literature from countries with well-established, call-recall screening programmes. Overall, 24 articles were eligible for inclusion. Data was synthesized via Framework synthesis. Dahlgren & Whitehead's social model of health was used as a broad a priori coding framework.

RESULTS

Participation was influenced by determinants at multiple levels. Overall, patient-provider relationships and peer support facilitated engagement. Cultural disparities, past healthcare experience and practical barriers hindered service access and exacerbated negative thoughts, feelings and attitudes towards participation. Complex interrelationships between determinants suggest barriers have a cumulative effect on screening participation.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings present a framework of psychosocial determinants of cervical screening uptake in underserved women and emphasise the role of policy makers and practitioners in reducing structural barriers to screening services. Additional work, exploring the experience of those living within socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, is needed to strengthen understanding in this area.

Impact of health-related behavioral factors on participation in a cervical cancer screening program: the lifelines population-based cohort

BACKGROUND

Regular participation in cervical cancer screening is critical to reducing mortality. Although certain sociodemographic factors are known to be associated with one-time participation in screening, little is known about other factors that could be related to regular participation. Therefore, this study evaluated the association between health-related behavioral factors and regular participation in cervical cancer screening.

METHODS

The Lifelines population-based cohort was linked to data for cervical cancer screening from the Dutch Nationwide Pathology Databank. We included women eligible for all four screening rounds between 2000 and 2019, classifying them as regular (4 attendances), irregular (1-3 attendances), and never participants. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between behavioral factors and participation regularity, with adjustment made for sociodemographic factors.

RESULTS

Of the 48,325 included women, 55.9%, 35.1%, and 9% were regular, irregular, and never screening participants. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, the likelihood of irregular or never screening participation was increased by smoking, obesity, marginal or inadequate sleep duration, alcohol consumption and low physical activity, while it was decreased by hormonal contraception use.

CONCLUSION

An association exists between unhealthy behavioral factors and never or irregular participation in cervical cancer screening.

Socioeconomic, lifestyle and biological determinants of cervical screening coverage: Lolland-Falster Health Study, Denmark

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is preventable. Screening is important for early detection. However, even in high-income countries, coverage is sub-optimal. We identified socioeconomic, lifestyle and biological determinants of cervical screening coverage.

METHODS

In Denmark, women aged 23-64 are free of charge personally invited to screening. All cervical cell samples are registered centrally in the Patobank. We linked data from the Lolland-Falster Health Study (LOFUS) with Patobank data. LOFUS was a population-based health survey undertaken in 2016-2020. With logistic regression, coverage defined as ≥1 cervical sample registered within a 6-year period from 2015 to 2020 was compared across levels of risk factors expressed as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Among 13 406 women of screening aged 23-64 and invited to LOFUS, 72% had ≥1 cervical sample registered. Non-participation in LOFUS was a strong predictor of low coverage; aOR 0.32; 95% CI 0.31-0.36. Among LOFUS participants, education was a strong predictor of coverage in univariate analysis, OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.48-0.71, but this association disappeared in multi-variate analysis, aOR 0.86; 95% CI 0.66-1.10. In multi-variate analysis, predictors of low coverage were high age, living without a partner, retired, current smoker, poor self-rated health, elevated blood pressure and elevated glycated haemoglobin.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with low cervical screening coverage had limited contact to healthcare, exemplified by non-participation in LOFUS, and pertinent health and social problems, exemplified by elevated blood pressure and glycated haemoglobin, poor self-rated health, and retirement already in screening age. Structural changes in screening are needed to reach non-screened women.

Barriers to adherence to cytology exam: a case study in low-income Colombian women

BACKGROUND

Cervical cytology is essential for the early detection of cervical cancer. However, in Colombia, only 50% of women with subsidized health insurance were screened in 2019, compared to 100% of women with contributory insurance. This disparity highlights significant barriers that must be addressed. This study aimed to identify the factors that contribute to or hinder adherence to cervical cytology screening among low-income women with subsidized health insurance in a public primary care network in Cali, Colombia, from 2014 to 2018.

METHODS

In a qualitative case study, the experience of women and health care and administrative personnel was recovered. Forty-seven women participated in seven focus group discussions. Five other women using the program participated in in-depth interviews. Finally, we interviewed eight people from the healthcare area and the health services administration. The qualitative data collected underwent content analysis, guided by the theoretical framework of Social Determinants of Health. Within this framework, five interconnected dimensions that influence adherence were incorporated.

RESULTS

Adherence is a multifactorial phenomenon, and in relation to attendance at cervical cytology, the analysis delved into the mechanisms that affect it in a low-income context. Barriers to adherence were identified across multiple dimensions, including social and economic factors, health conditions, and patient-related factors, among both adherent and non-adherent women. Among adherent women, barriers and facilitators related to the healthcare team and system, as well as patient-related factors, were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this research can be useful in developing personalized interventions and strategies to improve adherence and screening outcomes in low-income settings. It is necessary to increase the resources of health insurance entities to establish effective communication channels with women who attend the cervical cancer prevention program.

Asking informed consent may lead to significant participation bias and suboptimal cardiovascular risk management in learning healthcare systems

BACKGROUND

The Utrecht Cardiovascular Cohort - CardioVascular Risk Management (UCC-CVRM) was set up as a learning healthcare system (LHS), aiming at guideline based cardiovascular risk factor measurement in all patients in routine clinical care. However, not all patients provided informed consent, which may lead to participation bias. We aimed to study participation bias in a LHS by assessing differences in and completeness of cardiovascular risk management (CVRM) indicators in electronic health records (EHRs) of consenting, non-consenting, and non-responding patients, using the UCC-CVRM as an example.

METHODS

All patients visiting the University Medical Center Utrecht for first time evaluation of a(n) (a)symptomatic vascular disease or condition were invited to participate. Routine care data was collected in the EHR and an informed consent was asked. Differences in patient characteristics were compared between consent groups. We performed multivariable logistic regression to identify determinants of non-consent. We used multinomial regression for an exploratory analysis for the determinants of non-response. Presence of CVRM indicators were compared between consent groups. A waiver (19/641) was obtained from our ethics committee.

RESULTS

Out of 5730 patients invited, 2378 were consenting, 1907 non-consenting, and 1445 non-responding. Non-consent was related to young and old age, lower education level, lower BMI, physical activity and haemoglobin levels, higher heartrate, cardiovascular disease history and absence of proteinuria. Non-response increased with young and old age, higher education level, physical activity, HbA1c and decreased with lower levels of haemoglobin, BMI, and systolic blood pressure. Presence of CVRM indicators was 5-30% lower in non-consenting patients and even lower in non-responding patients, compared to consenting patients. Non-consent and non-response varied across specialisms.

CONCLUSIONS

A traditional informed consent procedure in a LHS may lead to participation bias and potentially to suboptimal CVRM, which is detrimental for feedback on findings in a LHS. This underlines the importance of reassessing the informed consent procedure in a LHS.

The effect of extended participation windows on attendance at cervical cancer screening

Research has long since confirmed the benefits of regular cervical cancer screening (CCS) worldwide. However, some developed countries have low participation rates despite well-organized screening programs. Given that studies in Europe typically define participation in 12-month windows from an invitation, we evaluated both whether extending this defined time window could reveal the true participation rate and how sociodemographic determinants affect participation delays. This involved linking data from the Lifelines population-based cohort with CCS-related data from the Dutch Nationwide Pathology Databank and including data for 69 185 women eligible for screening in the Dutch CCS program between 2014 and 2018. We then estimated and compared the participation rates for 15- and 36-month time windows and categorized women by the primary screening window into timely participation (within 15 months) and delayed participation (within 15-36 months) groups, before performing multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the association between delayed participation and the sociodemographic determinants. Participation rates for the 15- and 36-month windows were 71.1% and 77.0%, respectively, with participation considered timely in 49 224 cases and delayed in 4047 cases. Delayed participation was associated with age 30-35 years (odds ratio [OR]: 2.88, 95 %CI: 2.67-3.11), higher education (OR: 1.50, 95 %CI: 1.35-1.67), the high-risk human papillomavirus test-based program (OR: 1.67, 95 %CI: 1.56-1.79), and pregnancy (OR: 4.61, 95 %CI: 3.88-5.48). These findings show that a 36-month window for monitoring attendance at CCS better reflects the actual participation rate by accommodating possible delayed uptake among younger, pregnant, and highly educated women.

Concurrent participation in breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening programmes in Denmark: A nationwide registry-based study

Women in Denmark are invited to breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening in their fifties and sixties. We determined the patterns of concurrent participation in the three programmes. Participation in organised cancer screening was determined using the highly complete Danish population and health care registers for all women aged 53-65 years on 31 March 2018 who continuously resided in Denmark since 1 April 2012. Data were linked using unique personal identification numbers. We studied overall and cancer-specific proportions of women undergoing screening for all three, two, one, and none of the cancers. Among all 468,507 women, 406,306 (87%) participated in breast, 345,768 (74%) in cervical, and 316,496 (68%) in colorectal cancer screening. Despite high participation, only 255,698 (55%) women were screened for all three cancers, while 123,469 (26%) were screened for two, 54,538 (12%) for one, and 34,802 (7%) were not screened for any cancer. Cancer-specific patterns were highly heterogeneous across the population but changed little after accounting for women's medical history. A significant proportion of women who are screened for a specific cancer remain unscreened for other cancers. The consistency of these data at the international level requires a reconsideration of invitational practices for organised screening.

Adherence to Cervical Cancer Screening Programs in Migrant Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Organized cervical cancer screening programs to promote the early identification of precancerous lesions have proven to be effective in decreasing the burden associated with cervical cancer, but knowledge regarding screening adherence among migrant women compared to that of native women has not been summarized. A systematic search of the literature on PubMed, Scopus and Embase led to the identification of 772 papers that were published up to July 2022 and reported population-based data regarding adherence to cervical screening. The screening participation rates among migrant women, compared to native women, were pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis. A total of 18 papers were included in the review, with most of them being conducted in Europe (83.3%). Overall, migrants showed a significantly lower participation rate compared to native women (OR for screening adherence: 0.54, 95% CI = 0.42-0.70). This discrepancy was especially evident for migrant women from North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.35-0.63, and OR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.24-0.49, respectively). The results of this systematic review emphasize the importance of increasing cervical cancer screening adherence among migrant women. A significant heterogeneity in screening adherence was observed based on the country of origin. Interventions aimed at reducing the disparities in screening participation should specifically consider how to improve the recruitment of migrant women.

Participation in the nationwide cervical cancer screening programme in Denmark during the COVID-19 pandemic: An observational study

Background

In contrast to most of the world, the cervical cancer screening programme continued in Denmark throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the cervical cancer screening participation during the pandemic in Denmark.

Methods

We included all women aged 23-64 y old invited to participate in cervical cancer screening from 2015 to 2021 as registered in the Cervical Cancer Screening Database combined with population-wide registries. Using a generalised linear model, we estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs of cervical cancer screening participation within 90, 180, and 365 d since invitation during the pandemic in comparison with the previous years adjusting for age, year, and month of invitation.

Results

Altogether, 2,220,000 invited women (in 1,466,353 individuals) were included in the study. Before the pandemic, 36% of invited women participated in screening within 90 d, 54% participated within 180 d, and 65% participated within 365 d. At the start of the pandemic, participation in cervical cancer screening within 90 d was lower (pre-lockdown PR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.56-0.59 and first lockdown PR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.75-0.77) compared with the previous years. A reduction in participation within 180 d was also seen during pre-lockdown (PR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.88-0.90) and first lockdown (PR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.91-0.93). Allowing for 365 d to participation, only a slight reduction (3%) in participation was seen with slightly lower participation in some groups (immigrants, low education, and low income).

Conclusions

The overall participation in cervical cancer screening was reduced during the early phase of the pandemic. However, the decline almost diminished with longer follow-up time.

Funding

The study was funded by the Danish Cancer Society Scientific Committee (grant number R321-A17417) and the Danish regions.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, when are inequalities higher, after all? Analysis of breast and cervical cancer screening in 30 European countries

Screening for breast and cervical cancer is strongly related with a reduction in cancer mortality but previous evidence has found socioeconomic inequalities in screening. Using up-to-date data from the second wave of the European Health Interview Survey (2013-2015), this study aims to analyse income-related inequalities in mammography screening and Pap smear test in 30 European countries. We propose a framework that combines age group and screening interval, identifying situations of due-, under-, and over-screening. Coverage rates, standard and generalised concentration indices are calculated. Overall, pro-rich inequalities in screening persist though there are varied combinations of prevalence of screening attendance and relative inequality across countries. Bulgaria and particularly Romania stand out with low coverage and high inequality. Some Baltic and Mediterranean countries also present less favourable figures on both accounts. In general, there are not marked differences between mammography and Pap smear test, for the recommended situation ('Due-screening'). 'Extreme under-screening' is concentrated among lower income quintiles in basically all countries analysed, for both screenings. These women, who never screened, are at risk of entering the group of 'Lost opportunity', once they reach the upper-limit age of the target group. At the same time, there are signals of 'Over-screening', within target group, due to screening more frequently than recommended. In several countries, 'Over-screening' seems to be concentrated among richer women. This is not only a waste of resources, but it can also cause harms. The inequalities found in 'Extreme under-screening' and 'Over-screening' raise concerns on whether women are making informed choices.

Factors Promoting Breast, Cervical and Colorectal Cancer Screenings participation: A Systematic Review

Objective

The present study aims at systematically reviewing research conducted on factors promoting breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings participation.

Methods

A literature search in MEDLINE/PubMed and PsycInfo from January 2017 to October 2021 was performed. Data extraction, researchers' full agreement and the inclusion criteria produced 102 eligible studies. Data were narratively synthesized and critically interpreted.

Results

Multiple factors favoring or hindering breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings were identified and summarized as factors operating at the individual level (background information, individual characteristics, emotions related to screening procedure and to cancer, knowledge and awareness), at the relational level (relationships with healthcare staff, significant others, community members), and at the healthcare system level (systems barriers/policy, lack of staff). A critical appraisal of studies revealed a fragmentation in the literature, with a compartmentalization of studies by type of cancer screening, country and specific populations of destination.

Conclusions

Overall findings indicated that greater integration of research results obtained independently for each cancer diagnosis and within the different countries/populations could foster a more comprehensive understanding of factors potentially enhancing the participation in breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings worldwide. This review, which is grounded in the current context of globalization and superdiversification in population, can help to enhance a better integration between research and practices, by supporting the development of more effective and inclusive evidence‐based interventions and health‐promotion campaigns worldwide. Research and practical implications are highlighted and discussed.

A walk-in clinic as an alternative approach to reaching non-attenders of the cervical cancer screening program in the North Denmark region-a pilot study

INTRODUCTION

Up to 39% of women in Denmark do not participate regularly in the cervical cancer screening program and initiatives to increase participation are called upon. The primary aim of this study was to describe previous screening history and characteristics of women attending screening in a walk-in clinic. Furthermore, we wanted to investigate barriers to cervical cancer screening.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We designed a walk-in clinic that was open 2 days a week from 16.00 to 19.00 h, located in the Departments of Gynecology in the two main hospitals of the North Denmark Region. The main purpose of the clinic was cervical cancer screening and the study period was 5 months. Women who were not eligible for screening or had other health complaints were referred to their general practitioner. The women included in the study, filled out a questionnaire regarding educational and occupational status; their screening history was registered using data from the Danish Pathology Register.

RESULTS

During the study period, 255 women visited the walk-in clinic. The final study population consisted of 249 women who met the inclusion criteria. Age range of participants was 23-77 years, with a median age of 45 years. The majority of the participants were currently employed (81%) or students (10%), the remaining being retired (5%) or unemployed (4%). Screening history showed that 138 (55.4%) of the women were on time for the screening or delayed less than 6 months compared to their recommended screening interval. Sixty-one women (24.5%) were delayed >6 months but <2 years. Fifty women (20.1%) were classified as non-attenders, with more than a 2-year delay in their screening. In the group of non-attenders, eight women had never been screened. Of the remaining 42 women, the median time since last screening was 8.2 years (range 5.0-25.3 years).

CONCLUSIONS

Women attending the walk-in clinic tended to be primarily actively working or students (91%). All age groups in the screening population were represented. Screening history showed that 44.6% had not followed the recommended screening program.

Women with obesity participate less in cervical cancer screening and are more likely to have unsatisfactory smears: Results from a nationwide Danish cohort study

Some studies found an association between obesity and increased cervical cancer risk, but potential mechanisms are unknown. In this nationwide register-based cohort study, we investigated the association between overweight/obesity and cervical cancer screening participation and risk of unsatisfactory smears. The study population was identified in the Danish Medical Birth Registry. We included 342,526 women aged 23-49 years with pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) registered during 2004-2013. Screening participation and unsatisfactory smears during up to four years after child birth were identified in a nationwide pathology register. We used absolute risk regression to estimate the relative absolute risk (RAR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of screening participation according to BMI, adjusted for age, calendar year, sociodemographic characteristics, parity and previous high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Among those who were screened (n = 295,482), we used log-binomial regression to investigate the relative risk (RR) of an unsatisfactory smear according to BMI, adjusted for age, year, parity, oral contraceptive use and pathology department. A lower proportion of obese women (79.3%) than women of normal weight (85.8%) were screened, and obese women had lower adjusted probability of being screened than women of normal weight (RAR_adjusted = 0.94, 95% CI, 0.93-0.95). A higher proportion of obese women (2.4%) than women of normal weight (1.7%) had an unsatisfactory smear, and this association remained after adjustments (RR_adjusted = 1.28, 95% CI, 1.19-1.38). In conclusion, women with obesity were less likely to participate in cervical cancer screening and more likely to have an unsatisfactory smear than women of normal weight.

A population survey on beliefs around cervical cancer screening: determining the barriers and facilitators associated with attendance

Background

Cervical screening saves approximately 5000 lives annually in England. However, screening rates have been falling continuously, and coverage in London is particularly low (64.7%). While demographic predictors of uptake have been well researched, there has been less thorough investigation of the individual barriers and facilitators which predict cervical screening attendance. Understanding modifiable factors influencing attendance can guide the design of effective interventions to increase cervical screening uptake. The aim of this study was to understand the demographic, and individual factors associated with self-reported attendance at cervical screening in London.

Methods

The study used an online survey of 500 women in London (June-July 2017). The survey included self-reported measures of past attendance, demographic variables (including age, household income, ethnicity), past experience variables, and individual variables (list of potential barriers and facilitators developed based on the Theoretical Domains Framework and existing literature, which included: environmental context and resources, perceived risk, anticipated pain/embarrassment). Participants were categorised into regular attenders and non-regular attenders. Backwards stepwise logistic regression investigated the barriers and facilitators predicting past attendance. Demographic variables with significant differences between regular and non-regular attenders were added to the final regression model.

Results

Of women who had previously been invited (n = 461, age range: 25–65), 34.5% (n = 159) were classified as non-regular attenders, and 65.5% (n = 302) as regular attenders. The individual barriers and facilitators predicting attendance were: cervical screening priority, memory, environmental context and resources, and intention. The only demographic variables related to regular attendance were relationship status (married/civil partnership having higher rates than single) and higher household income. Relationship status was not significant when adjusting for barriers and facilitators. Those who have ever been sexually active or who have had an STI in the past were significantly more likely to be regular attenders.

Conclusions

The study shows the importance of individual barriers and facilitators in predicting self-reported cervical screening attendance. Household income was the only significant demographic variable when combined with the individual variables. Interventions targeting priority, memory, and practical barriers affecting environmental context may be expected to be effective an increasing attendance.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09529-w.

Follow-up after abnormal cervical cancer screening in immigrants compared with Danish-born women - A nationwide register study

Cervical cancer screening is offered free-of-charge to women aged 23-64 years in Denmark. Immigrants participate less in screening than Danish-born women, but little is known about their participation in follow-up after abnormal screening results. In this registry-based cohort study, we examined the likelihood of timely follow-up after an abnormal cervical cytology in immigrants from different countries and regions compared with Danish-born women. In nationwide registers, we identified women aged 23-64 years with high-grade (n = 74,335) or low-grade (n = 174,038) abnormal cytology during 1997-2017. Timely follow-up was defined as a new examination within six months for high-grade and 18 months for low-grade abnormalities. We calculated the probability of timely follow-up by country and region of origin and estimated odds ratios (ORs) of timely follow-up between immigrants and Danish-born women. The proportions with timely follow-up after high-grade abnormalities ranged from 90.6%-95.1% in immigrants from different countries or regions, compared with 95.5% in Danish-born women. For low-grade abnormalities, follow-up ranged from 75.2%-92.8% in immigrants, compared with 90.6% in Danish-born women. Women from Sub-Saharan Africa had low probability of timely follow-up after both high-grade (90.9%) and low-grade (75.2%) abnormalities. The differences between immigrants and Danish-born women remained when adjusting for age, year, income, employment and marital status. In conclusion, immigrants from most countries and regions were slightly less likely than Danish-born women to receive timely follow-up after abnormal cervical cytology, also after adjusting for socioeconomic differences. Efforts should be made to improve follow-up of abnormal screening results in immigrant groups with low attendance.

Young Danish HPV vaccinated women's knowledge, barriers and facilitators towards cervical cancer screening: A qualitative study

Cervical cancer occurs more often in under-screened women, and participation rates in cervical cancer screening among young women are worryingly low worldwide. In Denmark only about half the women in their twenties participate in cervical cancer screening. 64-80% of women between 20 and 29 have been HPV vaccinated with a vaccine protecting against 70% of all cervical cancers. Thus screening is still an important supplement to HPV vaccination for the next decades. The aim of this study was to investigate knowledge, facilitators and barriers towards cervical cancer screening among young HPV vaccinated women in Denmark. This qualitative study used an anthropological approach, and data was collected using semi structured focus group interviews as this is an effective method for promoting self-disclosure among participants. Eight focus groups were conducted with participation of 49 HPV vaccinated women aged 20-29 years. We identified five main themes providing an understanding of the women's barriers and facilitators towards cervical cancer screening: Lack of knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer, the screening invitation, the GP as gatekeeper, the gynaecological examination and perceived relevance of cervical cancer screening. Former vaccination did not impact the women's reflection about screening attendance. We argue that systematic information and the attitude and tone of the GP are the primary facilitators for filling the knowledge gap we found among young HPV vaccinated women. As an important gatekeeper, the GP can explain, motivate and remind young women about the importance of a regular Pap smear.

Joint effects of HPV-related knowledge and socio-demographic factors on HPV testing behaviour among females in Shenzhen

BACKGROUND

Limited population-based studies explore the utilization and associated barriers or facilitators to cervical cancer screening in China. We attempted to investigate the associations of socio-demographic factors, HPV specific knowledge with HPV testing behaviour in Shenzhen, China.

METHODS

A citywide cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to June 2015 in Shenzhen city by using a multistage stratified cluster sampling method. Socio-demographic information, awareness and specific knowledge of HPV, practice of HPV testing, and HPV vaccination-related attitude were collected. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyse possible associations.

RESULTS

Approximately one third of total 8639 women aged from 30 to 60 years old had ever received HPV testing. Overall, 67.6% of all participants demonstrated low knowledge level of HPV. High HPV knowledge level was significantly associated with HPV testing behaviour (odds ratio: 3.792, 95% confidence interval: 3.400-4.230). The impact of residence and education on testing behaviour only turned to be significant if women had low level of HPV knowledge (P for multiplicative interactions: 0.001 and <0.001, respectively), whereas monthly income exerted promotion effects apparently among those with high knowledge level (P for multiplicative interaction: 0.037).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed gaps in HPV knowledge and screening participation among Chinese women, and provided novel clues that women with high HPV knowledge level would be more appeal to involve in HPV testing behaviour. The influence of HPV-related knowledge on HPV testing also lies in the joint effects with socio-demographic factors, including residence, education and monthly income.

Human papillomavirus vaccination in immigrants and descendants of immigrants in Denmark

OBJECTIVE

In Denmark, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination has been offered at age of 12 to girls born in 1996 and later. In this cohort study, we examined routine HPV vaccination uptake in immigrants and descendants from different countries and regions compared with native Danes, including the influence of socioeconomic characteristics and potential changes in uptake by birth cohort.

METHODS

In nationwide registers, we identified all girls born in 1996-2003 (n = 260 251) and obtained information on country of origin, HPV vaccinations and parents' income and employment. Vaccination was defined as receiving ≥1 dose within 2 years after eligibility for routine vaccination. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated by logistic regression separately for birth cohorts 1996-2000 and 2001-2003.

RESULTS

Uptake in immigrants and descendants varied by country and region of origin. Overall, immigrants had lower uptake than native Danes, in birth cohorts 1996-2000 [79% vs. 93%, OR = 0.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.29-0.34] and 2001-2003 (63% vs. 73%, OR = 0.60; 95% CI, 0.54-0.66). Descendants had lower uptake than native Danes in cohorts 1996-2000 (89% vs. 93%, OR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.60-0.68), but higher uptake in cohorts 2001-2003 (76% vs. 73%, OR = 1.15; 95% CI, 1.08-1.21). Most associations were attenuated, but not entirely explained, when adjusting for socioeconomic characteristics.

CONCLUSION

HPV vaccination uptake varied by country and region. Most immigrants had lower uptake than native Danes, and in most groups, this was not fully explained by socioeconomic differences. Patterns in descendants were mixed. Interventions to increase uptake should be tailored to specific groups of immigrants/descendants.

Perceptions of cervical cancer prevention among a group of ethnic minority women in Denmark-A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer screening (CCS) and human papillomavirus vaccination (HPVV) are effective measures against cervical cancer (CC). Attendance in HPVV and CCS provides the greatest protection, while combined non-attendance in HPVV and CCS provides little to no protection. It is hence concerning that some large ethnic minority groups show considerably lower HPVV and CCS attendance than other women-especially women from Middle-Eastern and North African (MENA) countries and Pakistan. Little is, however, known about the reasons for this low combined attendance pattern n.

AIM

To explore perceptions of and barriers to HPVV and CCS, among MENA and Pakistani women in Denmark.

METHOD

Focus group interviews were conducted. Data was transcribed verbatim, and analysed using systematic text condensation.

FINDINGS

Seventeen long-term resident women originating from six major MENA countries and Pakistan were included. Mean age was 36 years. We found that these women, across different age groups and descent, had sparse knowledge and understanding about CC, and their perceived relevance of disease prevention was low. Compared to HPVV, their barriers to CCS were more fixed and often linked to socio-cultural factors such as taboos related to female genitals and sexuality. Moreover, they presented unmet expectations and signs of mistrust in the healthcare system. However, at the end of the interviews, participants became more attentive toward CC prevention, particularly toward HPVV.

CONCLUSION

Elements of insufficient knowledge and understanding of CC and its prevention were found among a group of MENA and Pakistani women. Their socio-cultural background further represents a barrier particularly towards CCS. Additionally, negative experiences and unmet expectations lessen their trust in the healthcare system. All of which underlines the need for new tailored CC preventive strategies for this group. Based on our findings we suggest that future studies develop and evaluate interventions aiming to improve HPVV and CCS, including user-involvement.

Investigating the decrease in participation in the Dutch cervical cancer screening programme: The role of personal and organisational characteristics

Declining attendance in the Dutch cervical cancer screening programme was recently observed, coinciding with preparations for implementing primary hrHPV-based screening, which was implemented in January 2017. We aimed to investigate which factors were related to decreased attendance. We conducted a population-based cohort study including all women aged 30 to 60 years who were eligible for screening between 2014 and 2018. Attendance was defined as participation in the screening programme within 15 months of the start of the invitation-eligible year. We used data from the Dutch pathology archive (PALGA) linked with data from Statistics Netherlands to investigate population characteristics (position in the household, household income, socio-economic status, number of people in the household, migration background, age) and data from the five Dutch screening organisations (SO) to investigate the effect of cessing self-inviting GP's ('inviting organisation'). SO's were termed SO 1 to 5. Higher attendance rates were observed in women who were employed (60.8%), married (62.9%), Dutch (61.2%), in the highest income bracket (63.4%), living in households with four persons (65.3%) and women who were invited by their GP (69.8%). Differences in personal characteristics did not explain the decline in attendance rates. By adjusting for whether the GP or the SO sent the invitation, the differences in attendance rates between 2014 and 2015 and 2016 and between 2014 and 2015 and 2017-2018 were explained in some screening organisations. Removing the possibility for GPs to send invitations explains some of the decline in participation, although this did not account for the total change in attendance.

Non-participation in cervical cancer screening according to health, lifestyle and sexual behavior: A population-based study of nearly 15,000 Danish women aged 23-45 years

High participation in cervical cancer screening is essential for an effective screening program. In this population-based study, we investigated associations between general health, lifestyle and sexual behavior, and non-participation in cervical cancer screening in Denmark. During 2011-2012, a random sample of women aged 18-45 years from the general female population were invited to participate in a survey regarding health, lifestyle and sexual habits. Altogether 18,631 women responded (response rate: 75.1%), of whom 14,271 women aged 23-45 years were included in this analysis. Information on screening participation within four years after response, and data on sociodemographic characteristics, was obtained from nationwide registers. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for non-participation, crude and adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics. Overall, 13.9% of the women were not screened during follow-up. The odds of non-participation was increased in women who were overweight (OR_adj. = 1.20; 95% CI, 1.06-1.35), obese (OR_adj. = 1.46; 95% CI, 1.27-1.67), perceived themselves as much too fat (OR_adj. = 1.50; 95% CI, 1.29-1.74), had poor self-perceived health (OR_adj. = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.03-1.45) or smoked daily (OR_adj. = 1.81; 95% CI, 1.61-2.03). Conversely, women with previous genital warts or other sexually transmitted infections, and young women with ≥10 lifetime sexual partners or ≥2 new recent partners, had decreased odds of non-participation. In conclusion, obesity, poor self-perceived health and daily smoking were associated with lower participation in cervical cancer screening. Interventions targeting these groups are needed.

Low attendance by non-native women to human papillomavirus vaccination and cervical cancer screening - A Danish nationwide register-based cohort study

Background

Cervical cancer is preventable through human papillomavirus vaccination and cervical cancer screening. However, possibly due to systemic, individual (e.g. low socio-economic staus) and socio-cultural barriers, it is likely that non-natives, especially non-westerns, are more prone to attend neither vaccination nor screening (combined non-attendance). This is disturbing as the non-native population in Denmark is predicted to rise to 21% by 2060. We aimed to investigate differences in combined non-attendance by nativity and region of origin, and to analyse the association between country of origin and combined non-attendance adjusted for socio-economic status.

Setting

1.6.2007–31.12.2016 Denmark.

Methods

Logistic regression was performed to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for combined non-attendance.

Results

170,158 women were included. Overall combined non-attendance was 11.8% [11.7–12.0]; 10.0% [9.8–10.1] for native women and 27.1% [26.4–27.7] for non-native women, with highest degrees among Middle-Eastern and North-Africans (30.1% [29.2–30.9]). Even when adjusted for socio-economics, women from Middle-East and North-Africa had substantially higher odds of combined non-attendance than natives (adj. OR = 7.5 [6.3–8.9] for Somali women).

Conclusion

Denmark has a relatively low degree of combined non-attendance. However, cervical cancer preventive programmes seem to be better tailored to the needs of native women and do not appear to cater sufficiently to the needs of the fast-growing non-native populations, particularly not to the needs of Middle-Eastern and North African women. In order to secure more just cervical cancer prevention, future studies are recommended to develop tailored intervention sensitive to the need of non-native women.

Self-Collection for Cervical Screening Programs: From Research to Reality

In 2018, there were an estimated 570,000 new cases of cervical cancer globally, with most of them occurring in women who either had no access to cervical screening, or had not participated in screening in regions where programs are available. Where programs are in place, a major barrier for women across many cultures has been the requirement to undergo a speculum examination. With the emergence of HPV-based primary screening, the option of self-collection (where the woman takes the sample from the vagina herself) may overcome this barrier, given that such samples when tested using a PCR-based HPV assay have similar sensitivity for the detection of cervical pre-cancers as practitioner-collected cervical specimens. Other advantages of HPV-based screening using self-collection, beyond the increase in acceptability to women, include scalability, efficiency, and high negative predictive value, allowing for long intervals between negative tests. Self-collection will be a key strategy for the successful scale up of cervical screening programs globally in response to the WHO call for all countries to work towards the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem. This review will examine self-collection for HPV-based cervical screening including the collection devices, assays and possible routine laboratory processes considering how they can be utilized in cervical screening programs.

Sexual health of women with schizophrenia: A review

Women with schizophrenia experience low rates of sexual satisfaction and high rates of sexual dysfunction. They are at high risk for adverse sexual health outcomes including unplanned pregnancies, induced abortions, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and face higher rates of sexual violence and various forms of intimate partner violence. This review explores the complex and intersecting biopsychosocial risk factors that explain these outcomes among women with schizophrenia, including factors related to the illness itself, antipsychotic medications, medical and psychiatric comorbidities, stigma, childhood trauma, and social determinants of health including poverty and housing instability. Sexual health interventions designed to help women with schizophrenia achieve pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence are few and far between, suggesting opportunities for future development in this area.

Non-Adherence To Childhood HPV Vaccination Is Associated With Non-Participation In Cervical Cancer Screening - A Nationwide Danish Register-Based Cohort Study

Background

The combination of organized cervical cancer screening and childhood HPV vaccination programs has the potential to eliminate cervical cancer in the future. However, only women participating in both programs gain the full protection, and combined non-attenders remain at high risk of developing cervical cancer. Our aim was to analyze the association between non-adherence to HPV vaccination and non-participation in cervical cancer screening for the total population and stratified by native background and parental education.

Participants

Women born in 1993 eligible for both childhood HPV vaccination and first cervical cancer screening.

Analysis

Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of non-participation in cervical cancer screening with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Stratified and adjusted logistic regression models were used along with the Wald test in order to test for interaction.

Results

24,828 women were included in the study. Among vaccinated women, 61.4% participated in cervical cancer screening; only 39.0% of unvaccinated women participated in cervical cancer screening. Unvaccinated and unscreened women were often non-native and had the lowest socio-economic status, whereas vaccinated and screened women were often native and had the highest socio-economic status. The adjusted OR for non-participation in cervical cancer screening was 2.07 [95% CI: 1.88–2.28] for unvaccinated compared to vaccinated women. After stratifying by country of origin, unvaccinated natives had the highest adjusted OR of not participating in cervical cancer screening compared to non-native women from both western and non-western countries (adjusted ORs of 2.2 [95% CI: 2.0–2.4], 1.3 [95% CI: 0.6–2.8], and 1.5 [95% CI: 1.1–2.0], respectively) (Wald test p=0.019).

Conclusion

Among natives, non-adherence to HPV vaccination and non-participation in screening seem to be signs of generally poor health-preventive behavior, whereas among non-natives from non-western countries, non-attendance in HPV vaccination and cervical cancer screening seem to be influenced by unrelated factors. Therefore, a differentiated and culturally sensitive approach is needed to enhance overall cervical cancer preventive behavior across different nativities.

Perspectives of non-attenders for cervical cancer screening in Norway: a qualitative focus group study

OBJECTIVE

The attendance rate for cervical cancer screening in Norway is currently suboptimal at 69%, and an in-depth understanding of postponement of cervical cancer screening from the perspective of non-attenders is lacking. This study aims to generate knowledge about how non-attenders for cervical cancer screening reflect on booking a screening appointment.

METHODS

Using the Norwegian cervical cancer screening registry, we identified and recruited women who were non-attenders to screening. Nine focus group interviews were carried out, with 41 women participating in the interviews.

RESULTS

Four main themes were generated, which provide a comprehensive understanding of how women who are overdue for screening reflect on their hesitancy to book a screening appointment: 'It's easy to forget about it', 'Women have to arrange their own appointment', 'It has to be a 'must'' and 'It's a humiliating situation'.

CONCLUSION

The degree to which women regard screening as important is affected by the nudging strategies employed in the screening programme and the facilitation of attendance provided by healthcare services. Dependence on one's personal initiative to schedule a screening appointment and perception of a lack of responsibility on the part of healthcare services to attend screening may undermine informed and shared decision-making about screening attendance.

Participation in cervical cancer screening among immigrants and Danish-born women in Denmark

In this nationwide register-based cohort study, we examined cervical cancer screening participation among immigrants in Denmark by country and region of origin. Furthermore, we assessed whether differences in screening participation between immigrants and Danish-born women were explained by sociodemographic or health-related characteristics, and examined predictors of participation among immigrants. Using high-quality registries, we identified women invited for cervical cancer screening during 2008-2009 and retrieved individual-level data on sociodemographic-, health- and immigration-related characteristics. A total of 610,907 women were followed for up to 2.9 years after screening invitation. We estimated the probability of participation using the Aalen-Johansen estimator and the hazard ratios (HRs) of participation using Cox regression. The probability of participation within follow-up was 74.5% (95% CI, 74.4%-74.6%) in Danish-born women; 61.2% (95% CI, 60.4%-62.1%) in Western immigrants; and 61.3% (95% CI, 60.9%-61.8%) in non-Western immigrants. Participation in immigrants varied by region of origin from 44.3% (95% CI, 41.4%-47.4%) in immigrants from North America, New Zealand and Australia to 67.8% (95% CI, 65.4%-70.3%) in immigrants from South- and Central America. Substantial variation was seen between specific countries of origin. Differences in participation between immigrants and Danish-born women were not explained by sociodemographic or health-related characteristics. Predictors of low participation in immigrants included lower income, unemployment, being unmarried, having a history of schizophrenia or other psychoses, and ≤5 years' stay in Denmark. In conclusion, cervical cancer screening participation in immigrants varied by region and country of origin, but all immigrant groups had lower participation than Danish-born women.

Sociodemographic inequities in cervical cancer screening, treatment and care amongst women aged at least 25 years: evidence from surveys in Harare, Zimbabwe

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in Zimbabwe; however; access to screening and treatment services remain challenged. The objective of this study was to investigate socio-demographic inequities in cervical cancer screening and utilization of treatment among women in Harare, Zimbabwe.

METHODS

Two cross sectional surveys were conducted in Harare with a total sample of 277 women aged at least 25 years. In the community survey, stratified random sampling was conducted to select 143 healthy women in Glen View, Cranborne, Highlands and Hopely communities of Harare to present high, medium, low density suburbs and rural areas respectively. In the patient survey, 134 histologically confirmed cervical cancer patients were also randomly selected at Harare hospital, Parirenyatwa Hospital and Island Hospice during their routine visits or while in hospital admission. All consenting participants were interviewed using a validated structured questionnaire programmed in Surveytogo software in an android tablet. Data was analyzed using STATA version 14 to yield descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression outcomes for the study.

RESULTS

Women who reported ever screening for cervical cancer were only 29%. Cervical cancer screening was less likely in women affiliated to major religions (p < 0.05) and those who never visited health facilities or doctors or visited once in previous 6 months (p < 0.05). Ninety-two (69%) of selected patients were on treatment. Women with cervical cancer affiliated to protestant churches were 68 times [95% CI: 1.22 to 381] more likely to utilize treatment and care services compared to those in other religions (p = 0.040). Province of residence, education, occupation, marital status, income (personal and household), wealth, medical aid status, having a regular doctor, frequency of visiting health facilities, sources of cervical cancer information and knowledge of treatability of cervical cancer were not associated with cervical cancer screening and treatment respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed few variations in the participation of women in cervical cancer screening and treatment explained only by religious affiliations and usage of health facilities. Strengthening of health education in communities including churches and universal healthcare coverage are recommended strategies to improve uptake of screening and treatment of cervical cancer.

Association between oropharyngeal cancers with known HPV and p16 status and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a Danish population-based study

BACKGROUND

Persistent infection with high-risk genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main risk factor in the development of uterine cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer (CC), and cases of HPV-induced oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is increasing in the Western world. We investigated the association between HPV and p16 status and previous results of cervical examinations, including cytological and histological tests, in females with OPSCC.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We included females diagnosed with an OPSCC in Eastern Denmark from 2000 to 2014. OPSCCs were assessed for p16-overexpression and HPV DNA PCR. History of cervical tests was obtained from the Danish Pathology Registry. The cytology and histological results were categorized in accordance with the 2014 Bethesda System (TBS) and WHO. Hence, we divide the cervical results into two groups. Group I were negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy and group II had epithelial cell abnormalities and subdivided after increasingly neoplastic severity from A-D. Chi²-tests and Fischer's exact tests were performed to compare the two groups.

RESULTS

A total of 417 women with OPSCC were identified; 203 with HPV-positive tumors (49%) of which cervical cytology or histology were available in 172 women (85%). Among these, 22 (13%) patients had a cervical history of ≥ IIC. A total of 171 out of 214 women in the HPV-negative group (80%) were examined with cytology and 17 had a history of ≥ IIC. No significant difference in diagnoses of (pre)cancerous lesions between the OPSCC HPV-positive and negative groups were observed (χ² test p = .28, Fischer's exact test p = .29).

CONCLUSION

HPV status in oropharyngeal tumors was not correlated with a history of ≥ IIC in cervical examinations. The effect on cervical dysplasia may be masked by a higher incidence of smoking among the OPSCC HPV-negative group.

Perception and knowledge of HPV-related and vaccine-related conditions among a large cohort of university students in Italy

HPV is involved in cervical, anal, penile, vulvar and oropharyngeal cancers, as well as genital warts. It is important to investigate knowledge and attitudes among university students, considering in this age a shift in healthcare decision-making from parents to students themselves. The aim of this study was to estimate knowledge and perception of HPV in terms of potential shame for HPV-related conditions, trust in vaccine efficacy and worry for potential side effects. The study involved students (18-25 years old) from the Universities of Padua and Verona, Italy. Socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics were collected with a questionnaire (n = 9988). Female gender and older age were positively associated with higher knowledge. The adjusted logistic regression showed an association between the set of perceptions investigated and the vaccination status, while a direct connection with knowledge was not found. However, another adjusted linear regression showed that a good set of perceptions could be partially explained by a high level of knowledge. Perceptions seem to fill an intermediate position between the knowledge and the decision to get vaccinated. The potential shame deriving from asking for HPV-vaccination was not identified as a relevant barrier. Having received information from healthcare workers, family and school showed to be positively associated with the adhesion to the vaccination policy. This study identifies university students as a possible target for HPV vaccination and pinpoints specific areas that might be targeted as first to encourage vaccine uptake. Primary prevention together with screening programmes remains essential in further reducing the burden of HPV-related diseases.

Cervical cancer screening history prior to a diagnosis of cervical cancer in Danish women aged 60 years and older-A national cohort study

The incidence and mortality of cervical cancer are high in Danish women aged 60 years and older who are about to exit the cervical cancer screening program. The present study aimed to describe the screening history in women ≥60 years old, diagnosed with cervical cancer in Denmark, 2009‐2013. We retrieved information on cases of cervical cancer and previous cervical cancer screening from national registries. During the study period, a total of 1907 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer, 574 (30.1%) of which were ≥60 years old. The majority of women were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (73.7%) and advanced‐stage disease (ASD, ie, ≥FIGO IIB; 63.1%). The proportion of ASD increased with age, from 51.9% in women aged 60‐64% to 76.7% in women aged 75‐79. Among screened women (n = 377), 22.8% had a cervical cytology within 5 years of diagnosis, 73.3% of which were normal, and 45.1% were diagnosed with ASD. Women who had been sufficiently screened prior to screening exit (≥2 normal cytology test in the age interval 50‐59) accounted for 18.1%. Of note, 53.8% of the sufficiently screened women were diagnosed with ASD. Sufficiently screened women were less likely to be diagnosed with ASD compared to never‐screened women (53.8% vs 67.5%, P < 0.020), but no difference was observed between sufficiently and insufficiently screened women (53.8% vs 63.4%, P = 0.091). Our findings suggest that cancer in older women may occur due to insufficient screening prior to screening exit, a low sensitivity of screening, and premature screening exit.

Strong association between cervical and breast cancer screening behaviour among Danish women; A register-based cohort study

High coverage is essential for the effectiveness of national screening programmes. Identifying non-screeners across different screening programmes may help inform strategies to improve uptake. This study aims to analyse the association between previous cervical cancer screening (CCS) coverage and participation in breast cancer screening (BCS). This historical register-based cohort study included 91,787 Danish women aged 50-64 years who were invited to participate in the first organised round of BCS in the Central Denmark Region (CDR) in 2008-09. CCS coverage was defined as having a smear registered in the 5 1/2 years preceding the BCS, and BCS participants were divided into participants and non-participants and further categorised as active non-participants (ANP) if they cancelled and passive non-participants (PNP) if they abstained from the appointment. Of all 91,787 women included in the study, 62,391 (68%) were covered both by CCS and participated in BCS. Women not covered by CCS were more likely to be non-participants in BCS than women covered by CCS (PRRadjusted = 2.80, 95% CI: 2.68-2.93). Both PNP (PRRadjusted = 3.99, 95% CI: 3.80-4.19) and ANP (PRRadjusted = 2.50, 95% CI: 2.34-2.68) were more likely not to be covered by the CCS. In conclusion, non-coverage by CCS was strongly associated with nonparticipation in BCS. Specific groups of women only participated in one screening programme. To increase uptake, future interventions may specifically target these groups.