Socioeconomic Inequities in Pap Test Use Among Black Women in the United States: An Intersectional Approach.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Research investigating racialized inequities in cervical cancer screening has rarely considered the influence of socioeconomic position (SEP), a key social determinant of health that intersects with race/ethnicity and racism. Thus, data on socioeconomic inequities in Pap test use within racialized groups-including Black women, who are at elevated risk of cervical cancer morbidity and mortality-are limited. METHODS: Using 2011-2019 data from the National Survey of Family Growth and guided by an intersectional framework, we used multivariable logistic regression to examine the association between educational attainment, employment status, and income and the adjusted odds of Pap test use in the last 3 years among Black U.S. women. RESULTS: Compared to Black women with a bachelor's degree or greater, those with less than a high school diploma ([odds ratio] = 0.45; [95% confidence interval] 0.31-0.67) and a high school diploma/GED (0.57; 0.40-0.81) had significantly lower odds of Pap test use, adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Unemployed women had significantly lower adjusted odds of Pap test use compared to employed women (0.67; 0.50-0.89), and women living below 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL) had significantly lower adjusted odds of Pap test use relative to those living at or above 300% FPL (0.63; 0.45-0.88). CONCLUSION: Low-SEP Black women had significantly lower adjusted odds of Pap test use relative to their higher SEP counterparts. Interventions that address both racism and economic barriers to care are needed to facilitate access to regular cervical cancer screening among low-SEP Black women.