Barriers to Cervical Screening among Sex Workers in Vancouver

OBJECTIVES:

We longitudinally examined the social, structural, and geographic correlates of cervical screening among sex workers in Metropolitan Vancouver, British Columbia, to determine the roles that physical and social geography play in routine reproductive health care access.

METHODS:

Analysis drew on (2010-2013) data from an open prospective cohort of sex workers (An Evaluation of Sex Workers' Health Access). We used multivariable logistic regression with generalized estimating equations (GEE) to model correlates of regular cervical screening.

RESULTS:

At baseline, 236 (38.6%) of 611 sex workers in our sample had received cervical screening, and 63 (10.3%) were HIV-seropositive. In multivariate GEE analysis, HIV-seropositivity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06, 2.58) and accessing outreach services (AOR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.09, 1.66) were correlated with regular cervical screening. Experiencing barriers to health care access (e.g., poor treatment by health care staff, limited hours of operation, and language barriers) reduced odds of regular Papanicolaou testing (AOR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.65, 1.00).

CONCLUSIONS:

Sex workers in Metropolitan Vancouver had suboptimal levels of cervical screening. Innovative mobile outreach service delivery models offering cervical screening as one component of sex worker-targeted comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services may hold promise.

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By:  Duff P1, Ogilvie G1, Shoveller J1, Amram O1, Chettiar J1, Nguyen P1, Dobrer S1, Montaner J1, Shannon K1.

• 1Putu Duff, Ofer Amram, Jill Chettiar, Paul Nguyen, Sabina Dobrer, Julio Montaner, and Kate Shannon are with British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia. Putu Duff, Jean Shoveller, and Kate Shannon are with School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Gina Ogilvie is with British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver. Julio Montaner and Kate Shannon are also with Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, St. Paul's Hospital.

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