The association of cervical cancer screening and quality of care: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

BACKGROUND: Improving the quality of care is vital to enhance outcomes for cervical cancer patients. However, the inequality of cervical cancer care was seldomly assessed. METHODS: We collected the data of cervical cancer burden from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database, and constructed the Quality of Care Index (QCI) using principle component analysis. Then the disparity of QCI across regions and populations were evaluated. The association between cervical cancer screening coverage and QCI weas also explored. RESULTS: Quality of cervical cancer care was of disparity across regions with different development levels, with a widening gap between low-income regions and others. Cervical cancer QCI dropped rapidly after the age of 35. Cervical cancer screening coverage was positively associated with QCI, and this association was stronger in countries with low- and middle-development levels. CONCLUSIONS: Regions with a low development level and the middle-aged women were vulnerable in QCI improvement. Higher screening coverage was associated with better cervical cancer QCI, implying that expanding cervical cancer screening coverage may be an effective strategy to improve the quality of cervical cancer care.