Barriers to cervical cancer screening in Guatemala: a quantitative analysis using data from the Guatemala Demographic and Health Surveys

Abstract

Objectives: Examine the association between commonly reported barriers to health care, including discordant spoken languages between patients and providers, and reported previous cervical cancer screening.

Methods: Data from the nationally representative Guatemala National Maternal and Child Health Survey from the Demographic and Health Surveys Program were used to explore associations between barriers and screening rates nationwide and in high-risk populations, such as rural and indigenous communities. Negative binomial regressions were run accounting for survey sample weights to calculate prevalence ratios.

Results: 64.0%, 57.5% and 47.5% of women reported ever screening, in the overall, indigenous, and rural populations, respectively. Overall, never screened for cervical cancer was associated with the following health barriers: needing permission, cost, distance, not wanting to go alone, and primary language not spoken by health providers, even after adjustment for age, ethnicity, and literacy.

Conclusions: Offering screening programs alone is not enough to reduce the burden of cervical cancer in Guatemala. Measures need to be taken to reduce barriers to health care, particularly in rural areas, where screening rates are lowest.

Keywords: Cervical cancer; Healthcare barriers; Indigenous communities; Screening.