Health Care-Related Correlates of Cervical Cancer Screening among Sexual Minority Women: An Integrative Review.

The review included only US studies, so findings may not apply outside the US healthcare system. All included studies were cross-sectional and relied on self-reported screening, so recall and social desirability may affect results. The review did not formally assess study quality, and some included studies had limited sampling descriptions or convenience samples. Many samples were largely white and well-educated, so findings may not represent sexual minority women of other racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups. Many data were collected more than 10 years ago, and social and healthcare contexts for sexual minorities have changed. Many studies used past-year Papanicolaou testing, which no longer matches current screening guidelines. The review did not test whether provider recommendation, disclosure, or communication changes screening; it only reports associations. No included study reported provider type, so the review cannot say whether nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or physicians differ in screening impact.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Do not read these associations as proof that asking about sexual orientation or recommending screening will increase screening. The review included cross-sectional self-reported studies and says little or no formal research has tested interventions to increase screening among sexual minority women.