Hispanic individuals' cervical cancer screening disparities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

• Published in: Gynecologic oncology Vol. 190; pp. 243 - 249
• Main Authors: Nguyen, Linh, Chung, Tong Han, Le, Yen-Chi L., Reygaerts, Hannah, Olguin, Xochitl, Zamorano, Abigail
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-11-2024
• Subjects: Cancer screening; Cervical cancer disparities; COVID-19; Hispanics/Latinas; Social determinants of health; Underserved; COVID-19; Social determinants of health; Cervical cancer disparities; Underserved; Hispanics/Latinas; Cancer screening
• ISSN: 0090-8258; 1095-6859; 1095-6859
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2024.08.027

To examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cervical cancer screening rates of Hispanic individuals compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) individuals in the United States, whether a responsive surge in catch-up screenings occurred as society adapted to pandemic changes, and to investigate the sociodemographic characteristics between the study populations.
Using cross-sectional data from the All of Us Research Program, which incorporates electronic health record data and survey data from a demographically, geographically, and medically diverse participant group, we assessed the annual cervical cancer screening rates during 2019–2021 by race/ethnicity among eligible individuals ages 21–64.
Among 116,052 unique individuals (78,829 NHW and 37,223 Hispanic), Hispanic individuals had lower annual cervical cancer screening rates than NHWI across the three years studied. They experienced a more significant decrease in screening from 2019 to 2020 (39.27 %) compared to NHWIs (21.15 %) and less of a rebound increase in the following year, 2021 (10.33 % vs 13.83 %). Hispanic individuals aged 50–64 experienced the sharpest decline in screening rates (−43.01 % from 2019 to 2020). Hispanic individuals also experienced greater adverse social conditions, including lack of insurance or employment, lower educational attainment, and lower household income.
Hispanic individuals experienced a more significant decrease in cervical cancer screening rates with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with NHW individuals and did not experience a robust rebound in cervical cancer screening rates in 2021. As a result, the disparity in cervical cancer screening rates between NHW and Hispanic individuals considerably worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic.
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•Cervical cancer screening disparities dramatically worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic.•Hispanic individuals experienced a greater decrease in screening in 2020 than non-Hispanic White individuals.•The screening rates of Hispanic individuals did not rebound as much as non-Hispanic individuals in 2021.•Hispanic individuals aged 50‐64 experienced the sharpest decline in screening rates.•A higher proportion of Hispanics were unemployed, uninsured, and had lower household incomes.