Combined influence of immigration status and income on cervical cancer screening uptake

The regular performance of Pap tests for cervical cancer screening reduces this disease's incidence and mortality. Income inequalities have been reported for this screening, partly because in some countries women must advance or even pay out-of-pocket costs. Because immigrant status is also associated with low Pap test uptake, we aimed to analyze the combined impact of immigrant status and low income on cervical cancer underscreening. This study, based on the French CONSTANCES cohort, uses data from the cohort questionnaires and linked health insurance fund data about Pap test reimbursement. To measure income inequalities in screening, we calculated a Slope Index of Inequality (SII) by linear regression, taking into account the migration status of participants. The majority of the 70,614 women included in the analysis were not immigrants (80.2%), while 12.9% were second-generation immigrants, and 6.9% first-generation immigrants. The proportion of underscreening increased with immigrant status, from 19.5% among nonimmigrants to 23.6% among the second generation, and 26.5% among the first (P < 0.01). The proportion of underscreening also increased as income level decreased. The income gradient rose significantly from 14% among nonimmigrants to 21% in second-generation immigrants and 19% in the first generation (P < 0.01). Among first-generation migrants, the shorter the duration of residence, the higher the SII. Women who are first- or second-generation immigrants are simultaneously underscreened and subject to a more unfavorable economic gradient than native French women born to native French parents. The accumulation of several negative factors could be particularly unfavorable to screening uptake.