Finding Barriers to Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Adherence among low resourced population in Eastern Virginia: Prevention Matters
Abstract
Breast and cervical cancers are the most prevalent cancers affecting women in Virginia, with disproportionately high mortality rates among underserved and low-resource populations, particularly, African American females. Recent data from the American Cancer Society indicate a rising incidence of cancer among women <50 years of age, with breast and cervical cancers being the most common in women <65 years. While U.S. Preventive Services Task Force provides clear screening recommendations, its adherence remains suboptimal. Programs such as ‘Every Woman’s Life’ initiatives by the Virginia Department of Health have improved screening access, yet disparities persist. In this study we conducted a systematic review of the community health needs assessment (CHNA) reports by a local urban trauma center and oncology center in Eastern Virginia to assess the needs of the community related to cancer. The goal of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the reports from CHNA conducted by Oncology Affiliates such as the Medical Center, Regional Center, General Hospital and Recovery Center, and others. Data from reports of 12 hospitals from 2019 to 2025 were reviewed using ‘Covidence’, an evidence based practice software for systematic review, and an AI powered tool ‘Rayyan’ to identify factors that affect the rate of cancer screenings and to identify emerging themes from 9 other surgery centers which helped discover barriers related to cancer screening behavior. Using the practice based software (Covidence) we imported citations from reference managers and filtered irrelevant studies using machine learning techniques, whereas the AI powered tool (Rayyan) was used for deduplication of studies applying research framework of PICO and generating flow diagrams using PRISMA. This systematic review of the reports from 2019 to 2025 provided a holistic approach in identifying health indicators and other factors related to breast and cervical cancer screenings. These insights will inform the development of targeted, community-based interventions aimed at increasing awareness, improving access, and ultimately reducing morbidity and mortality associated with breast and cervical cancer in women.
