Barriers To Accessing Contraception and Cervical and Breast Cancer Screening During COVID-19: A Prospective Cohort Study.
J Obstet Gynaecol Can
; 44(10): 1076-1083, 2022 10.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2000557
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
This study sought to examine how access to contraception and cervical and breast cancer screening in British Columbia, Canada, has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODS:
From August 2020 to March 2021, 3691 female residents of British Columbia (age 25-69 y) participated in this study. We used generalized estimating equations to analyze the proportion of females accessing contraception and the proportion having difficulty accessing contraception across the different phases of pandemic control measures, and logistic regression to analyze attendance at cervical and breast cancer screening. We added sociodemographic and biological variables individually into the models. Self-reported barriers to accessing contraception and attending screening were summarized.RESULTS:
During phases with the highest pandemic controls, self-reported access to contraception was lower (OR 0.94; 95% CI 0.90-0.98; P = 0.005) and difficulty with access was higher (OR 2.74; 95% CI 1.54-4.88; P = 0.001). A higher proportion of adults aged 25-34 years reported difficulty accessing contraception than those aged 35-39 years (P < 0.0001), and participants identifying as Indigenous had higher odds of access difficulties (OR 5.56; 95% CI 2.44-12.50; P < 0.001). Of those who required screening during the COVID-19 pandemic, 62% and 54.5% did not attend at least one of their cervical or breast screening appointments, respectively. Those with a history of breast cancer had significantly higher odds of self-reporting having attended their mammogram appointment compared with those without a history of breast cancer (OR 5.62; 95% CI 2.69-13.72; P < 0.001). The most common barriers to screening were difficulty getting an appointment and appointments being considered non-urgent.CONCLUSIONS:
The COVID-19 pandemic has uniquely affected access to contraception and cancer screening participation for various subgroups. Self-reported data present potential avenues for mitigating barriers.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Breast Neoplasms
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Diagnostic study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
J Obstet Gynaecol Can
Journal subject:
Gynecology
/
Obstetrics
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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