Prevalence and Predictors of Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Among Spanish Women With Diabetes

  1. Rodrigo Jiménez-Garcia, PHD,
  2. Valentin Hernandez-Barrera, MPH,
  3. Pilar Carrasco-Garrido, PHD and
  4. Angel Gil, PHD
  1. From the Preventive Medicine Unit, Rey Juan Carlos University, Alcorcón, Spain.
  1. Corresponding author: Rodrigo Jiménez-García, rodrigo.jimenez{at}urjc.es.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To examine the use of mammography and Papanicolaou (Pap) smear among women with diabetes and to identify predictors of adherence to these tests.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We analyzed data of a nationally representative sample of Spanish women. Diabetes status was self-reported. Screenings were assessed asking whether they had a mammography (≥40 years) and a Pap smear (18–69 years) within the previous 2 and 3 years, respectively.

RESULTS Women with diabetes were less likely to receive mammography (57.9%) or have a Pap smear (61.5%) than women without diabetes (mammography 61.9%, P < 0.05; Pap smear 65.6%, P < 0.05). After adjusting for age, educational level, income, comorbidity, tobacco use, obesity, and physician visits, the corresponding odds ratios remained significant (0.84, 95% CI 0.72–0.97) and (0.82, 95% CI 0.66–0.98). Higher educational level was a positive predictor for both tests among diabetic women.

CONCLUSIONS Spanish women with diabetes underuse breast and cervical cancer screening tests.

Footnotes

  • The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked “advertisement” in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

    • Received March 11, 2009.
    • Accepted May 7, 2009.
  • Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ for details.

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