Participation in cervical cancer screening among migrants and non-migrants in primary healthcare in Lisbon
A register-based study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21881406 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Catarina Gomes Madeira (0000-0002-8093-9290, Hospital de Santa Maria), Claudia Marotta (0000-0003-4199-9060, World Health Organization), Anna Georgina Ditter (0009-0009-3257-8003, Universidade Nova de Lisboa), Mario Raviglione (0000-0002-9331-2067, University of Milan) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue | 12 |
| Pages | e019061 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | BMJ Global Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2059-7908 • E-ISSN: 2059-7908 |
| Publisher | BMJ (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1136/bmjgh-2025-019061 |
| PMID | 41360484 |
| OpenAlex | W4417102450 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 24 |
INTRODUCTION: Cervical cancer screening is a critical preventive measure to reduce the burden of cervical cancer. Yet, disparities persist worldwide, particularly among migrant populations. This study examined cervical cancer screening participation among migrant and non-migrant women enrolled in the primary healthcare centres in the Lisbon district. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analysed healthcare records from 88 278 women aged 25-60 years. Participation was assessed based on documented screening within nationally recommended timeframes. Migrants were classified by nationality into Portuguese-speaking and non-Portuguese-speaking groups. Screening participation was compared between groups, adjusting for age, family doctor assignment, primary healthcare unit type and provider gender. Logistic regression identified factors influencing participation. RESULTS: Migrants showed lower uptake of cervical cancer screening: 19.6% for non-Portuguese-speaking and 31.9% for Portuguese-speaking migrants, compared with 43.7% in non-migrants. After adjusting for confounders, non-Portuguese-speaking migrants had significantly lower odds of participation (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.50, p<0.01), while Portuguese-speaking migrants had participation rates similar to non-migrants (p=0.29). Key healthcare factors that were associated with higher participation include enrolment in Family Health Units (FHUs) (OR=3.55, 95% CI 3.41 to 3.70, p<0.01) and having an assigned female family doctor (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.37 to 1.50, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Migrant women face unique barriers to cervical cancer screening, particularly language and cultural differences. These findings highlight the need for tailored screening programmes incorporating multilingual support, cultural mediation and self-sampling for human papillomavirus testing as an alternative screening method. Enhancing healthcare delivery through training, improved access to family doctors and more incentive-driven FHUs could significantly improve screening uptake. Addressing these disparities is crucial for advancing health equity and enhancing cervical cancer prevention
Cancer screening · Cervical cancer · Cervical cancer screening · Cervical screening · Health care · Health equity · Human papillomavirus · Primary health care · Cervical Cancer and HPV Research · Global Cancer Incidence and Screening · Migration, Health and Trauma
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| Highly cited | No |
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