Cervical cancer among Hispanic women: assessing the impact on farmworkers

The purpose of this paper was to review the literature on Hispanic populations to outline: 1) demographics; 2) general health status; 3) cervical cancer incidence and mortality; 4) Pap smear screening rates; and 5) barriers to preventive care services. The methods: MEDLINE, Med66, Med75, and Med85 files, from 1966 to 1999, were searched for key words Hispanic health, cervical cancer and Hispanics, cervical cancer and Mexico, migrants and health, agricultural occupational health, farmworkers and cancer, and farmworker health. AGRICOLA (1982-98) was searched for key words farmworker health, agricultural workers and health, and agriculture and cancer. The results show that Hispanic immigrant women may have cervical cancer incidence rates ranging between the California rates for 1991-93 (19.8/100,000) and for Mexico in 1990 (115-220 per 100,000). Mortality rates for the same periods were 3.9/100,000 and 16.11/100,000 respectively. While survey results report Hispanic Pap smear rates above 70%, these surveys count urban women who do not share the barriers to care experienced by poor rural Hispanics. Since validated self-reports of survey responses are 20-50% lower than reported lower rates and Pap smear screening persist in Hispanic Pap evaluations and are reflected in higher morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer. That targeted community interventions have been successful in raising Pap smear rates among poor Spanish-speaking women. Such interventions should be a priority for preventive health care policy and practice.