Overview

Abstract (English)

No published data on cervical cancer screening rates exist for Aboriginal women across Quebec. We aimed to compare screening rates across these groups. We pooled four waves of the Canadian Community Health Survey (2003, 2005, 2008, 2012; weighted N=7,105,591). The outcome, non-recent screening (NRS), was defined as reported screening 3 or more years prior to the survey. Women who reported First Nations, Métis, or Inuit ancestry, or Cree as their mother tongue (weighted N=2,529,590) were compared to non-Aboriginal women. Using Poisson regression models, we estimated cervical cancer screening rate ratios (RR) among Aboriginal women in Quebec adjusting for age, income, education, marital status, and access to a primary care physician. Confidence intervals (CI) were constructed using bootstrap variance weights. The overall prevalence of NRS was 24% and did not differ across Aboriginal (26%) and non-Aboriginal women (25%) (RR=1.02, 95% CI 0.84, 1.24). In the fully adjusted model, the strongest predictors of NRS were non-access to a primary care physician (RR=2.0, 95% CI 1.81,2.17), lower income (1st quintile vs. 5th quintile RR=1.64, 95% CI 1.34,2.00, educational achievement of less than high school graduation (vs. university degree, RR=1.62, 95% CI 1.42,1.81), and older age (50-65 years vs. 21-49 years) (RR=1.28, 95% CI 1.17, 1.41). We conclude that there are no inequalities in screening between Aboriginal women living off-reserve and non-Aboriginal women in Quebec. Additional comparative analyses of aboriginal women in other Canadian provinces seem warranted.

Abstract (French)

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