Abstract C142: Cancer stigma and its effect on cervical cancer screening and care seeking in the Caribbean

Abstract

Abstract Background: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in the Caribbean region. It is a major public health challenge despite being preventable via HPV vaccination and Pap testing. Cancer stigma has been shown to serve as a barrier to screening, early diagnosis, and treatment seeking. The stigma associated with cervical cancer hinders progress towards its elimination. The purpose of the study was to assess cancer stigma among a non-patient population of males and females using a culturally trans-created scale in Jamaica, Grenada, and Trinidad and Tobago. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1207 participants. The survey was comprised of the adapted Cancer Stigma Scale and included additional questions on cervical cancer knowledge and beliefs. Knowledge and attitudes towards the HPV vaccine were also assessed. The survey was distributed online and, in a paper, based format between October 2022 and March 2023. The data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: Preliminary descriptive statistics found 81% of the respondents were female and 44% had a university level education while 52% had a secondary or trade/technical school level of education. In response to cancer stigma items, age, level of education, gender, and relationship status were significant predictors of cancer stigma (p <0.001). Results shows that almost 1 in 5 indicated a person with cancer is responsible and accountable for their condition. Additionally, 46% responded that getting cancer meant having to mentally prepare for death, and 40% agreed that life is never normal after having cancer. Almost 48% agreed that cancer ruins close relationships, and 29% agreed that cancer ruins a person’s career. Moreover, this endorses that stigma impacts screening, treatment seeking and can lead to social isolation, guilt and blame among persons with abnormal screening and cancer diagnoses. Discussion: These results indicate that cancer is stigmatized in the Caribbean, and it influences screening and care seeking. Our findings suggest the role of stigma must be included in prevention strategies that ought to include broad population education campaigns to reduce stigma towards cervical cancer screening and care seeking- as cervical cancer is highly treatable and even curable when detected at the pre-cancer or early stages. Further, the findings, point to the necessity and urgency of cervical cancer prevention policies to improve screening and vaccination rates to save lives and prevent undue early death of Caribbean women. Citation Format: Diadrey-Anne Sealy, Kamilah Thomas-Purcell, Althea Bailey, Gaole Song, Kimlin Ashing. Cancer stigma and its effect on cervical cancer screening and care seeking in the Caribbean [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C142.