NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Sexual minorities who have a cervix are less likely than heterosexual women to be screened for cervical cancer, a new study suggest.
An analysis of data from more than 18,000 people who were assigned female sex at birth and who participated in a national health survey revealed that sexual minorities (SM) were half as likely as heterosexual women to ever undergo Pap screening, researchers report in Cancer.
"Our analysis showed that most individuals in our study population who self-identified as belonging to a sexual-minority group had lower uptake of cervical-cancer screening compared to non-Hispanic white heterosexual counterparts," said Dr. Ashley Stenzel of Allina Health, in Minneapolis. "This was more pronounced among those identifying as both Hispanic and belonging to a sexual-minority group. This is very concerning as cervical-cancer screening can catch this disease at early stages to prevent poor outcomes."
"We need to continue to examine disparities at the intersection of multiple societally oppressed identities, how systemic discrimination plays a role in these disparities, and the additional barriers that individuals face with respect to cancer screening access," she told Reuters Health by email. "Together, these can guide institutional and policy level changes for better serving these populations."
