Cervical Cancer Disparities in the American Indian/Alaska Native Population: Are Prevention Tools Being Utilized? (108)

Abstract

Objectives: Our group published data demonstrating that American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women have had persistently higher incidence and mortality from cervical cancer than Non-Hispanic White women in the Pacific Northwest (WA, ID, OR). Cervical cancer screening is an essential tool for detecting pre-invasive and early-stage, curable disease. We sought to longitudinally evaluate the participation of AI/AN women in the Pacific Northwest in cervical cancer screening. Results: In the PNW, we identified a total of 34,278 patients eligible for cervical cancer screening within the 10-year period. The aggregate up-to-date pap smear rate was 63.5% for the three-state region (Figure 1). Between the two time periods assessed (January 2010 to December 2014 and January 2015 to July 2020), cervical cancer screening rates increased slightly in all three states of interest, with the greatest increase seen in Washington state (4.0%) and least in Idaho (1.3%). Despite these modest increases, cervical cancer screening rates remain below the 2018 calculated national screening average of 80.5% and the Healthy People 2030 target of 84.3%. Conclusions: In order to reduce the invasive cervical cancer disparities faced by AI/ANs, enhanced efforts should be directed toward identifying and reducing barriers to increase participation in cervical cancer screening. Objectives: Our group published data demonstrating that American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women have had persistently higher incidence and mortality from cervical cancer than Non-Hispanic White women in the Pacific Northwest (WA, ID, OR). Cervical cancer screening is an essential tool for detecting pre-invasive and early-stage, curable disease. We sought to longitudinally evaluate the participation of AI/AN women in the Pacific Northwest in cervical cancer screening. Results: In the PNW, we identified a total of 34,278 patients eligible for cervical cancer screening within the 10-year period. The aggregate up-to-date pap smear rate was 63.5% for the three-state region (Figure 1). Between the two time periods assessed (January 2010 to December 2014 and January 2015 to July 2020), cervical cancer screening rates increased slightly in all three states of interest, with the greatest increase seen in Washington state (4.0%) and least in Idaho (1.3%). Despite these modest increases, cervical cancer screening rates remain below the 2018 calculated national screening average of 80.5% and the Healthy People 2030 target of 84.3%. Conclusions: In order to reduce the invasive cervical cancer disparities faced by AI/ANs, enhanced efforts should be directed toward identifying and reducing barriers to increase participation in cervical cancer screening.