title: Social inequities along the cervical cancer continuum: a structured review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To reveal areas of research/knowledge related to social inequities and cervical cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Medline search was performed looking for US based research on cervical cancer and social inequities since 1990. The papers found were organized into cells defined by a "cancer disparities grid."
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of research published about cervical cancer and social inequities in the US, lies within the social domains of: race/ethnicity and socioeconomic position. Conflicting information exists as to whether race/ethnicity is a good predictor of screening and survival. Some research implied that differentials based on race/ethnicity are likely secondary to differentials in socioeconomic position. Some research about age, insurance status, and immigrant status and cervical cancer was found. Scarce information was found relating to sexuality, language, disability and geography and cervical cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The "cancer disparities grid" facilitated a systematic and visual review of existing literature on social inequities and cervical cancer. The grid helped to elucidate uncontested existing social inequities, conflicting social inequities, and areas where social inequity data does not exist. The cancer disparities grid can be used as a research tool to help identify areas for future research, clinical programs, and political action related to cervical cancer and social inequities.
authors.affiliation: 15 Massachusetts General Hospital, Vincent Gynecology and Obstetrics, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA. snewmann@partners.org
authors.forename: Sara J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Newmann
authors.forename: Elizabeth O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Garner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D007802:Language; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D044469:Racial Groups; D019529:Sexuality; D012923:Social Class; D013534:Survival; D014481:United States; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000208:ethnology*