Factors contributing to differences in cervical cancer screening in rural and urban community health centers

https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/cncr.35265 A new study explains the rural-urban divide in cervical screening rates Despite the rate of women dying from cervical cancer being almost a third higher in rural areas than in urban ones, screening rates are actually lower in rural communities. A new study published in Cancer found that this disparity has persisted in the country’s community health centers, which serve marginalized populations regardless of their ability to pay. In rural CHCs, 38% of women were up to date on their cervical cancer screenings, compared to 43% in urban ones. Researchers found that the disparity could be mostly explained by increased use of CHCs in urban areas by patients who have limited English proficiency, and lower use in rural areas by those with Medicaid or no insurance. Other factors included the proportion of patients with incomes below the poverty line and broader community factors like the area’s level of unemployment and the density of primary care physicians. The analysis is based on data including all CHCs in the U.S. from 2014-2021. https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3322/caac.21812?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=299647194&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_beoSY4LcX9QJE6KJq6He3haNkyUvQzZLhXAl2IfsClVayKC-meKrwVBAi1OYWqJiP6AS_-7LsCthM54zsiGRybhPy5A&utm_content=299647194&utm_source=hs_email