The Article in Brief

Background: Latinas in the United States are more likely than non-Latinas to be diagnosed with later-stage breast cancer and have worse breast cancer survival results. The rate of cervical cancer in Latinas is twice that of non-Latina whites. This study examined the relationship between health insurance coverage and rates at which cancer screening was used by foreign-born and U.S.-born Latinas compared to non-Latina whites.
What This Study Found: Foreign-born Latinas have higher rates of never being screened with a mammogram, a clinical breast exam, and a Pap smear, compared with U.S.-born Latinas and non-Latina whites. Among all ethnic and native groups studied, timely screening for breast cancer and cervical cancer is 11% to 48% lower for uninsured women. A greater proportion of foreign-born Latinas are uninsured compared with other groups studied, so they are at greater risk of not receiving timely cancer screening.
Implications:
* Foreign-born Latinas might benefit from tailored public health efforts to improve the use of cancer screening services.
* Programs that are culturally and linguistically appropriate and that take into account whether participants are foreign-born or U.S. born could help reduce health differences based on ethnicity.
* Lack of health insurance is a significant obstacle that needs to be addressed to improve use of cancer screening services for all uninsured women.