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. 2022 Feb 28:26:101746.
doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101746. eCollection 2022 Apr.

Cervical cancer screening compliance among active duty service members in the US military

Julia Seay  1 , Rayna K Matsuno  1   2   3 , Ben Porter  1   3   4 , Karen Tannenbaum  1   3 , Steven Warner  1   3 , Natalie Wells  5
Affiliations

Cervical cancer screening compliance among active duty service members in the US military

Julia Seay et al. Prev Med Rep. .

Abstract

Previous research suggests active duty service members (ADSM) experience higher rates of human papilloma virus infection and cervical dysplasia, which puts them at greater risk for cervical cancer. The current study examined crude rates and correlates of cervical cancer screening compliance in 2003-2015 among screening-eligible ADSM in the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS). Data were drawn from the MCS, Defense Manpower Data Center, and Military Health System Data Repository. Screening eligibility and compliance were calculated each year and initial analyses examined crude rates of compliance. Generalized estimating equations were calculated to determine whether sociodemographic, military, and mental/behavioral health covariates were associated with cervical cancer screening compliance. A majority of participants were 21-29 years old (79.4%), non-Hispanic White (60.6%), and enlisted (82.2%). Crude rates of cervical cancer screening compliance increased from 2003 (61.2%) to 2010 (83.1%), and then declined from 2010 to 2015 (59.8%). Older ADSM and those who had a history of deployment had lower odds of screening compliance. ADSM in the Air Force and those in healthcare occupations had higher odds of screening compliance. Study findings suggest that cervical cancer screening compliance is declining among ADSM. Interventions to improve screening should target groups with lower screening compliance.

Keywords: Active duty; Cervical cancer; Compliance; Pap smear; Screening; Service members.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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