Preventing cervical cancer in the Latina population.
Cervical cancer causes great morbidity and mortality worldwide and in the United States. Infection with oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV), the etiological agent of almost all cervical cancer cases, is common among sexually active women in the United States. Over the past 5 decades, the implementation of Papanicolaou screening programs in the United States has led to a significant decrease in cervical cancer cases. However, notable disparities in the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer and cervical screening rates among Hispanics in the United States remain. If current disparities persist without intervention, the Latina population in the United States may remain at a higher risk of developing and dying from cervical cancer. We discuss disparities in cervical cancer screening, incidence, and mortality among the Latina population, as well as the barriers that may propagate these disparities. We also address how these barriers can be overcome through the coordination of outreach programs and widespread prophylactic HPV vaccination to reduce cervical cancer disparities in Latinas.
Flores
Katherine
K
Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, Fresno, California 93710, USA. KFlores@fresno.ucsf.edu
Bencomo
Christopher
C
D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines