Page 77 - S. Ličen, I. Karnjuš, & M. Prosen (Eds.). (2019). Women, migrations and health: Ensuring transcultural healthcare. Koper, University of Primorska Press.
P. 77
Human Papillomavirus Infection and Cervical Cancer in Immigrant and Refugee Women
They usually maintain the same cervical cancer risk as that of their countries
of origin for several years. Pap test coverage in migrant women is lower than
in native women because the diffusion of screening in the countries of origin
is very low and because there could be several barriers to screening access
in the host country. Multiple socioeconomic factors were indicators for low
screening rates. Refugees and immigrants are often of low education and in-
come. Language and cultural barriers can result in lack of knowledge and
understanding of preventative procedures, and, especially when coinciding
with past trauma, can result in fear authoritative physician with whom they
would likely struggle to communicate (Beckett, 2016). Important factors are
also older ages and recent entry into host county.
Among immigrants, limited knowledge about cervical cancer and screen-
ing guidelines has been described so the need for provision of culturally ap-
propriate sexual health information has been emphasise (Vahabi & Lofters,
2018). To enhance immigrant women screening uptake, efforts should made
to increase their knowledge of the Slovenian healthcare system and preven-
tive services at the time of entry to our country. Health professionals need
to take an active role in offering screening during health encounters, be ed-
ucated about sexual health communication with minority women, and be
aware of the detrimental impact of preconceived assumptions about sexual
activity of immigrant women.
Prevalence of HPV Infection
The association between certain oncogenic (high-risk) strains of HPV and
cervical cancer is well established. HPV are remarkably diverse DNA viruses,
which are etiologically linked to various benign and malignant neoplastic
lesions. Nowadays more than 50 HPV genotypes have been found to infect
the anogenital mucosa and most of them have been classified by the Inter-
national Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as group I ‘high risk’ viruses
for cancer (Komloš et al., 2011). Genital HPV infections are highly prevalent
among sexually active man and women worldwide. Most HPV infections are
asymptomatic and resolve spontaneously with cervical smear abnormalities
only occurring in those women with persistent HPV infection.
HPV prevalence depends largely on age, and on sexual practice. The inter-
national survey on the HPV type distribution in cytological normal women,
coordinated by IARC showed a variation of nearly 20 times in the overall
HPV prevalence between different regions of the world (Clifford et al., 2005).
Meta-analysis assessing the burden of cervical HPV infection among more
than one million women without cervical disease showed that 11.7 of the
75
They usually maintain the same cervical cancer risk as that of their countries
of origin for several years. Pap test coverage in migrant women is lower than
in native women because the diffusion of screening in the countries of origin
is very low and because there could be several barriers to screening access
in the host country. Multiple socioeconomic factors were indicators for low
screening rates. Refugees and immigrants are often of low education and in-
come. Language and cultural barriers can result in lack of knowledge and
understanding of preventative procedures, and, especially when coinciding
with past trauma, can result in fear authoritative physician with whom they
would likely struggle to communicate (Beckett, 2016). Important factors are
also older ages and recent entry into host county.
Among immigrants, limited knowledge about cervical cancer and screen-
ing guidelines has been described so the need for provision of culturally ap-
propriate sexual health information has been emphasise (Vahabi & Lofters,
2018). To enhance immigrant women screening uptake, efforts should made
to increase their knowledge of the Slovenian healthcare system and preven-
tive services at the time of entry to our country. Health professionals need
to take an active role in offering screening during health encounters, be ed-
ucated about sexual health communication with minority women, and be
aware of the detrimental impact of preconceived assumptions about sexual
activity of immigrant women.
Prevalence of HPV Infection
The association between certain oncogenic (high-risk) strains of HPV and
cervical cancer is well established. HPV are remarkably diverse DNA viruses,
which are etiologically linked to various benign and malignant neoplastic
lesions. Nowadays more than 50 HPV genotypes have been found to infect
the anogenital mucosa and most of them have been classified by the Inter-
national Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as group I ‘high risk’ viruses
for cancer (Komloš et al., 2011). Genital HPV infections are highly prevalent
among sexually active man and women worldwide. Most HPV infections are
asymptomatic and resolve spontaneously with cervical smear abnormalities
only occurring in those women with persistent HPV infection.
HPV prevalence depends largely on age, and on sexual practice. The inter-
national survey on the HPV type distribution in cytological normal women,
coordinated by IARC showed a variation of nearly 20 times in the overall
HPV prevalence between different regions of the world (Clifford et al., 2005).
Meta-analysis assessing the burden of cervical HPV infection among more
than one million women without cervical disease showed that 11.7 of the
75
