Is Immigrant Status Associated With Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women in Canada? Results From a Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE\nCervical cancer accounts for the highest mortality rate from cancer in women worldwide. Despite widespread availability of cervical cancer screening programs in Canada, immigrant women are largely underscreened. The most recently published Canadian-wide study evaluated screening uptake from 2001 to 2002. The objectives included identifying the prevalence of underscreened women in Canada, determining the risk of underscreening for cervical cancer among immigrant women, and providing an update on Canadian screening practices.\n\n\nMETHODS\nThis study included women aged 20 to 69 who completed the Canadian Community Health Survey 2012. The prevalence of underscreening among Canadian-born and immigrant women was estimated. A log-binomial model was fit to estimate the relative risk (RR) of underscreening for immigrant women while controlling for age, income level, visible minority status, smoking status, and access to a regular physician. A secondary analysis compared immigrants residing in Canada for greater or less than 10 years to Canadian-born women.\n\n\nRESULTS\nOf the 17\xa0854\u202fwomen eligible for this study, 18.6% of Canadian-born women and 28.9% of immigrant women were underscreened (P\xa0<\xa00.05). Immigrant women were at significantly higher risk of being underscreened compared with Canadian-born women (RR 1.32; 95% CI 1.20-1.45). The relative risk did not change when stratifying by length of time since immigration (RRrecent immigrant 1.32; 95% CI 1.16-1.50; and RRlong-term immigrant 1.32; 95% CI 1.19-1.47).\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nImmigrant status continues to be associated with a significantly higher risk of underscreening, irrespective of time in Canada. Social and educational programs targeted towards immigrants are needed to mitigate the disparity in cervical cancer screening.