Author:

• Rafael Tavares Jomar - Jomar, RT - <rafaeljomar@yahoo.com.br>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4101-7138

Co-author(s):

• Lucivaldo Almeida Alves - Alves, LA - <lucivaldoalvesdm@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6127-3828
• Karina Cardoso Meira - Meira, KC - <ninameira87@gmail.com>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1722-5703

Abstract:

Using datathe National Health Survey 2019, this cross-sectional study explored the association between sexual orientation and timing of the last Pap smear in Brazil. Robust Poisson regression was used to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR), with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI95%). A total of 45,307 women participated, including 720 (1.85%) non-heterosexual women, of whom 394 (0.97%) identified as lesbian and 326 (0.88%) as bisexual. A negative association between sexual orientation and time since last Pap smear less than three years was observed in both women aged ≥ 18 years and those aged 25-64 years (the target population for cervical cancer screening in the country), with prevalence rates that were 17% lower (PR = 0.83; CI95% 0.76-0.90) and 14% lower (PR = 0.86; CI95% 0.78-0.96), respectively, among non-heterosexual women. Therefore, homo and bissexuals women in Brazil are less likely to have had a Pap smear within three years compared with heterosexual women, highlighting the need for health services in the country to ensure that these women have access to this important screening.

Keywords:

Sexual and gender minorities, Mass screening, Uterine cervical neoplasms, Health surveys, Brazil

Content:

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