Cervical cancer screening programs and their context-dependent effect on inequalities in screening uptake: a dynamic interplay between public health policy and welfare state redistribution

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.

Socioeconomic disparities in Papanicolaou test utilization in Western Iran

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer remains the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer among women, and its impact is particularly significant in women residing in less developed countries. This study aims to assess socioeconomic inequality in using Papanicolaou tests, commonly known as Pap tests, which are crucial for detecting cervical cancer. The research also seeks to decompose this inequality, identifying its contributing factors. This investigation is conducted within a sizable population-based study focused on the Kurdish population, with an additional examination of potential variations between urban and rural areas.

METHOD

The study utilized baseline data from the Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease Cohort Study (RaNCD), involving 3,074 ever-married women aged 35-65. Asset data was employed to determine socioeconomic status (SES), and Principal Component Analysis was applied. The uptake of Papanicolaou tests was assessed for inequality using the Concentration Index (Cn). Additionally, decomposition analysis was conducted to identify and understand the factors contributing to socioeconomic inequality.

RESULTS

The study found that overall, 86% of women reported having undergone cervical cancer screening at least once in their lifetime. The Concentration Index (Cn) for the total population was 0.21 (p < 0.0001), indicating a higher concentration of Papanicolaou test uptake among wealthier groups. In urban areas, the Cn was 0.34 (p < 0.0001), reflecting a significant concentration among the rich. However, in rural areas, the Cn was -0.10 (p = 0.3006), suggesting no significant socioeconomic inequality. Factors such as socioeconomic status (SES), education, and age contributed to reducing inequality, explaining 62.7%, 36.0%, and 1.7% of the observed inequality, respectively. Interestingly, place of residence had a negative influence on inequality.

CONCLUSION

The uptake of Papanicolaou tests varies across different socioeconomic status levels, with a higher concentration among wealthier groups. The results enable health policymakers and researchers to tailor health intervention toward increasing public awareness, especially among women with lower levels of education women in economically deprived groups.

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.

How is equity captured for colorectal, breast and cervical cancer incidence and screening in the Republic of Ireland: A review

Introduction

Organised screening reduces the incidence and late-stage diagnosis of cancer. However, participation in screening is not consistent across populations. Variations can be measured using demographic factors on place of residence, race/ethnicity, occupation, gender/sex, religion, education, socio-economic position (SEP), and social capital (PROGRESS-Plus stratifiers). The Republic of Ireland has screening programmes for colorectal, breast, and cervical cancer but assessment of screening participation and cancer incidence is inconsistent. The review aimed to evaluate the use of stratifiers in breast, cervical and colorectal cancer incidence and screening literature, and assess variations in incidence and screening participation across subgroups in Ireland.

Methods

PubMed was searched systematically and grey literature was identified via Google, Google Scholar, Lenus (Irish Health Research repository), and The Irish Longitudinal Study of Aging (TILDA) in June 2022. Studies were included if they captured stratifiers alongside incidence or screening participation data of the three cancers.

Results

Thirty-six studies and reports were included. Place of residence, SEP, sex, and age were most frequently captured. Incidence and screening participation varied by age, place of residence, SEP, and sex.

Discussion

PROGRESS-Plus is a useful equity lens to review health literature. Cancer incidence and screening participation studies lacked a comprehensive equity lens resulting in difficulties in identifying inequities and non-attenders. Place of residence, SEP and ethnicity should be prioritised in monitoring inequities. Integrating unique health identifiers should improve monitoring and enable evidence-based population-specific interventions to promote screening. Collaboration with community organisations would support engagement with vulnerable populations when data is limited.

Cervical cancer (over-)screening in Europe: Balancing organised and opportunistic programmes

AIMS

Cervical cancer (CC) over-screening has been understudied in Europe, yet is relevant for approaching inequalities in screening uptake. Focusing on countries' screening strategies (opportunistic systems versus organised programmes), we assess in which contexts CC over-screening is more prevalent, and which women are more likely to have engaged in cervical cancer screening (CCS) within the past year.

METHODS

A two-level (multilevel) design among screening women (N = 80,761) nested in 31 European countries was used to analyse data from the second wave (2013-2015) of the European Health Interview Survey. We focused on over-screening, defined as screening more frequently than the three-yearly screening interval prescribed in the European guidelines - that is, having screened within the past year.

RESULTS

Higher levels of over-screening were observed in opportunistic systems compared to systems with organised programmes. In opportunistic systems, women with a higher socioeconomic position had a higher likelihood of being screened within the past year than their socioeconomic counterparts. Moreover, these differences diminished under organised programmes.

CONCLUSIONS

Contexts with organised CCS programmes are more efficiently reducing over-screening, and enforcing the European guidelines. We suggest that the physician-patient relationship is an essential pathway for explaining socioeconomic differences in CC (over-)screening and for future interventions.

Mechanism substitution in preventive innovations: Dissecting the reproduction of health inequalities in the United States

In the last three decades, numerous studies in different countries have corroborated the main postulates of the Fundamental Cause Theory (FCT), providing evidence showing how health inequalities are reproduced as society increases its capacity to control disease and/or avoid its consequences through preventive innovations. However, documenting the reproductive logic proposed by the theory requires the development of a dynamic analytical approach to consider socioeconomic disparities in the incorporation of multiple preventive innovations over time, which could act as mediating mechanisms of the durable relationship between socioeconomic status and health/mortality. This study draws on data from different waves of the National Health Interview Survey and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to analyze the diffusion processes of various innovations in the U.S. The results of the study show that educational inequalities emerge, are amplified, and are reduced by the continuous diffusion of preventive innovations, supporting the meta-hypothesis of substitution of mediating mechanisms according to the interconnections of FCT and Diffusion of Innovation Theory.

Socioeconomic inequalities in cervical precancer screening among women in Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe: analysis of Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment surveys

OBJECTIVES

We examined age, residence, education and wealth inequalities and their combinations on cervical precancer screening probabilities for women. We hypothesised that inequalities in screening favoured women who were older, lived in urban areas, were more educated and wealthier.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study using Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment data.

SETTING

Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Differences in screening rates were analysed using multivariable logistic regressions, controlling for age, residence, education and wealth. Inequalities in screening probability were estimated using marginal effects models.

PARTICIPANTS

Women aged 25-49 years, reporting screening.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Self-reported screening rates, and their inequalities in percentage points, with differences of 20%+ defined as high inequality, 5%-20% as medium, 0%-5% as low.

RESULTS

The sample size of participants ranged from 5882 in Ethiopia to 9186 in Tanzania. The screening rates were low in the surveyed countries, ranging from 3.5% (95% CI 3.1% to 4.0%) in Rwanda to 17.1% (95% CI 15.8% to 18.5%) and 17.4% (95% CI 16.1% to 18.8%) in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Inequalities in screening rates were low based on covariates. Combining the inequalities led to significant inequalities in screening probabilities between women living in rural areas aged 25-34 years, with a primary education level, from the lowest wealth quintile, and women living in urban areas aged 35-49 years, with the highest education level, from the highest wealth quintile, ranging from 4.4% in Rwanda to 44.6% in Zimbabwe.

CONCLUSIONS

Cervical precancer screening rates were inequitable and low. No country surveyed achieved one-third of the WHO's target of screening 70% of eligible women by 2030. Combining inequalities led to high inequalities, preventing women who were younger, lived in rural areas, were uneducated, and from the lowest wealth quintile from screening. Governments should include and monitor equity in their cervical precancer screening programmes.

Factors influencing the participation of groups identified as underserved in cervical cancer screening in Europe: a scoping review of the literature

Background

Cervical cancer is a preventable and inequitably distributed disease. Screening plays a vital role in prevention, but many women face barriers to participation. The aims of this scoping review, undertaken to inform the co-design of interventions to equitably increase screening uptake, were to: (1) identify barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening for underserved populations, and (2) identify and describe the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving participation in cervical cancer screening among underserved groups in Europe.

Methods

Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies focusing on barriers and facilitators to cervical screening participation and interventions to improve uptake undertaken in Europe and published after 2000 were included. Four electronic databases were searched to identify relevant papers. Titles and abstracts were screened, full text reviewed, and key findings extracted. Data were extracted and analyzed according to different health system strata: system-wide (macro), service specific (meso) and individual/community specific (micro). Within these categories, themes were identified, and the population groups impacted were recorded. All findings are presented in accordance with (PRISMA) guidelines.

Results

33 studies on barriers and facilitators and eight intervention studies met the inclusion criteria. Collectively, the findings of these studies presented a wide array of screening uptake barriers, facilitators, and interventions, predominantly related to screening service and individual/community factors. However, although diverse, certain core themes around information provision, prompts for participation and the need for inclusive spaces were apparent. Implementation of screening programs should focus on: (1) reducing identifiable barriers, (2) increasing public awareness, and (3) providing patient reminders and measures to promote engagement by healthcare providers.

Conclusion

There are many barriers to uptake of cervical cancer screening and this review, nested within a larger study, will inform work to devise a solution alongside groups identified in three European countries.

Socioeconomic inequalities in cancer mortality between and within countries in Europe: a population-based study

Background

Reducing socioeconomic inequalities in cancer is a priority for the public health agenda. A systematic assessment and benchmarking of socioeconomic inequalities in cancer across many countries and over time in Europe is not yet available.

Methods

Census-linked, whole-of-population cancer-specific mortality data by socioeconomic position, as measured by education level, and sex were collected, harmonized, analysed, and compared across 18 countries during 1990-2015, in adults aged 40-79. We computed absolute and relative educational inequalities; temporal trends using estimated-annual-percentage-changes; the share of cancer mortality linked to educational inequalities.

Findings

Everywhere in Europe, lower-educated individuals have higher mortality rates for nearly all cancer-types relative to their more highly-educated counterparts, particularly for tobacco/infection-related cancers [relative risk of lung cancer mortality for lower- versus higher-educated = 2.4 (95% confidence intervals: 2.1-2.8) among men; = 1.8 (95% confidence intervals: 1.5-2.1) among women]. However, the magnitude of inequalities varies greatly by country and over time, predominantly due to differences in cancer mortality among lower-educated groups, as for many cancer-types higher-educated have more similar (and lower) rates, irrespective of the country. Inequalities were generally greater in Baltic/Central/East-Europe and smaller in South-Europe, although among women large and rising inequalities were found in North-Europe (relative risk of all cancer mortality for lower- versus higher-educated ≥1.4 in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the England/Wales). Among men, rate differences (per 100,000 person-years) in total-cancer mortality for lower-vs-higher-educated groups ranged from 110 (Sweden) to 559 (Czech Republic); among women from approximately null (Slovenia, Italy, Spain) to 176 (Denmark). Lung cancer was the largest contributor to inequalities in total-cancer mortality (between-country range: men, 29-61%; women, 10-56%). 32% of cancer deaths in men and 16% in women (but up to 46% and 24%, respectively in Baltic/Central/East-Europe) were associated with educational inequalities.

Interpretation

Cancer mortality in Europe is largely driven by levels and trends of cancer mortality rates in lower-education groups. Even Nordic-countries, with a long-established tradition of equitable welfare and social justice policies, witness increases in cancer inequalities among women. These results call for a systematic measurement, monitoring and action upon the remarkable socioeconomic inequalities in cancer existing in Europe.

Funding

This study was done as part of the LIFEPATH project, which has received financial support from the European Commission (Horizon 2020 grant number 633666), and the DEMETRIQ project, which received support from the European Commission (grant numbers FP7-CP-FP and 278511). SV and WN were supported by the French Institut National du Cancer (INCa) (Grant number 2018-116). PM was supported by the Academy of Finland (#308247, # 345219) and the European Research Council under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 101019329). The work by Mall Leinsalu was supported by the Estonian Research Council (grant PRG722).

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.

Social Inequalities in Participation in Cervical Cancer Screening in a Metropolitan Area Implementing a Pilot Organised Screening Programme (Paris Region, France)

Objectives: We aimed to examine social inequalities in participation in cervical cancer screening (CCS) in a metropolitan area by implementing a pilot organised screening programme. The pilot programme consisted of sending invitations to women who did not perform a pap smear within the past 3 years, managing interventions to reach vulnerable women, training healthcare professionals, and organising follow-ups of abnormal pap smears. Methods: We studied participation in CCS between January 2014 and December 2016 among 241,257 women aged 25-63 years old. To assess relative inequalities, Odds Ratios were computed using multilevel logistic regression. To assess absolute inequalities, the CCS coverage and the rate difference were calculated. Inequalities were computed by age and neighbourhood characteristics (social deprivation and proportion of single women). Results: Disparities in participation in CCS were observed by age and social deprivation. For overall screening compared to opportunistic screening, disparities by age were larger (OR25-35_vs._55-64 = 2.13 [2.08-2.19] compared to 2.02 [1.96-2.07]), but disparities by social deprivation were decreased (OR10%_most_vs._10%_least_deprived = 2.09 [1.90-2.30] compared to 2.22 [2.02-2.44]). Conclusion: Disparities in CCS participation remain despite the organised programme. To reduce these inequalities, free screening should be proposed and evaluated.

Trends and Determinants in Uptake of Cervical Cancer Screening in Spain: An Analysis of National Surveys from 2017 and 2020

Cervical cancer rates have declined in industrialized nations as a result of cytology screening programs. However, there are still sizeable differences in screening adherence in Spain. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of cervical cancer screening among women in Spain, to analyze trends in that prevalence from 2017 and 2020 and to identify socio-demographic, health, and lifestyle factors related with adherence to this screening test. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 13,619 women aged 25−65 who participated in the 2017 Spanish National Health Survey and the 2020 European Health Survey for Spain. We used logistic regression to examine the relationship between socio-demographic, health and lifestyle factors and cervical cancer adherence. The prevalence of adherence was 73.18%. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in cervical cancer screening uptake from 2017 and 2020 among women aged 25−44 years (2017: 77.80%, 2020: 75.20%, p = 0.02), but an increase in the age group of 45−65 years (2017: 68.93%, 2020: 72.39%, p < 0.01) and in foreigners (2017: 64.29%, 2020: 72.29%, p < 0.01). Screening for cervical cancer is related with age, educational level, social class, insurance status, visits to the family doctor, alcohol consumption and free time physical exercise.