Breast and cervical cancer screening rates in student-run free clinics: A systematic review

To assess rates of breast and cervical cancer screening at student-run free clinics to understand challenges and strategies for advancing quality and accessibility of women's health screening.

The authors performed a systematic search of publications in Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases from database inception to 2020. English-language publications assessing rates of breast and cervical cancer screening in student-run free clinics were included. Structured data extraction was completed for each publication by two reviewers independently. Risk of bias was assessed using a modified Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality checklist. Results were synthesized qualitatively because of study heterogeneity.

Of 3634 references identified, 12 references met study inclusion criteria. The proportion of patients up-to-date on breast cancer screening per guidelines ranged from 45% to 94%. The proportion of patients up-to-date on cervical cancer screening per guidelines ranged from 40% to 88%.

Student-run free clinics can match breast and cervical cancer screening rates among uninsured populations nationally, although more work is required to bridge the gap in care that exists for the underinsured and uninsured.