USF-LVHN SELECT
Structural Racism in Cervical Cancer Care and Survival Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Inequities and Barriers.
Publication/Presentation Date
1-1-2025
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite cervical cancer (CC) being a cancer that can be eliminated, CC disparities persist such that minoritized populations shoulder a disproportionate mortality burden. This may reflect upstream, fundamental drivers of health that impede equitable access to prevention, screening, early detection, and treatment among some groups. This systematic review summarizes evidence on the relationships between structural racism and CC care across the continuum.
RECENT FINDINGS: Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive search for peer-reviewed, English-language studies relevant to our research question that were published from 2012-2022 using PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Embase. Of 8,924 articles identified, 4,383 duplicates were removed, and 4,541 underwent screening, with 206 articles meeting eligibility criteria for inclusion in our data synthesis. Among reviewed studies, 60.2% (n = 124) compared CC outcomes by race and ethnicity, often as proxies for upstream racism. Key findings included evidence of lower CC screening rates among Asian American and Pacific Islander women and higher rates among Black and Hispanic/Latinx women. Barriers to healthcare access and socioeconomic status (SES) factors contributed to delayed follow-up, later-stage CC diagnoses, and poorer outcomes, particularly for Black and Hispanic/Latinx women and those residing in low-SES neighborhoods.
SUMMARY: This review underscores associations between race, ethnicity, SES, and outcomes across the CC continuum. Most studies examined racial and ethnic disparities in the outcomes of interest rather than directly evaluating measures of structural racism. Future research should refine measures of structural racism to deepen our understanding of its impact on CC across the care continuum.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40471-025-00360-y.
Volume
12
Issue
1
First Page
7
Last Page
7
ISSN
2196-2995
Published In/Presented At
Schaefer, A., Rockson, A., Islam, J. Y., LaForest, M., Jenkins, N. C., Obi, N. C., Ashrafi, A., Wingard, J., Tejada, J., Tang, W., Commaroto, S. A., O'Shea, S., Tsui, J., & Llanos, A. A. M. (2025). Structural Racism in Cervical Cancer Care and Survival Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Inequities and Barriers. Current epidemiology reports, 12(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40471-025-00360-y
Disciplines
Medical Education | Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
40297709
Department(s)
USF-LVHN SELECT Program, USF-LVHN SELECT Program Students
Document Type
Article