Screening for cervical and breast cancer: Is obesity an unrecognized barrier to preventive care?

Background: Compared with thinner women, obese women have higher mortality rates for breast and cervical cancer. In addition, obesity leads to adverse social and psychological consequences. Whether obesity limits access to sc reening for breast and cervical cancer is unclear. Objective: To examine the relation between obesity and screening with Papan icolaou (Pap) smears and mammography. Design: Population-based survey. Setting: United States. Participants: 11 435 women who responded to the "Year 2000 Supplement" of t he 1994 National Health Interview Survey. Measurements: Screening with Pap smears and mammography was assessed by que stionnaire. Results: In women 18 to 75 years of age who had not previously undergone hy sterectomy (n = 8394), fewer overweight women (78%) and obese women (78%) t han normal-weight women (84%) had had Pap smears in the previous 3 years (P < 0.001). After adjustment for sociodemographic information, insurance and access to care, illness burden, and provider specialty, rate differences f or screening with Pap smears were still seen among overweight (-3.5% [95% C I, -5.9% to -1.1%]) and obese women (-5.3% [CI, -8.0% to -2.6%]). In women 50 to 75 years of age (n = 3502), fewer overweight women (64%) and obese wo men (62%) than normal-weight women (68%) had had mammography in the previou s Z years (P < 0.002). After adjustment, rate differences were -2.8% (CI, - 6.7% to 0.9%) for overweight women and -5.4% (CI, -10.8% to -0.1 %) for obe se women. Conclusions: Overweight and obese women were less likely to be screened for cervical and breast cancer with Pap smears and mammography, even after adj ustment for other known barriers to care. Because overweight and obese wome n have higher mortality rates for cervical and breast cancer, they should b e targeted for increased screening.