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Improving Access to Cancer Screening among People with Disabilities

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Disabilities".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 June 2022) | Viewed by 5270

Special Issue Editors

Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8RZ, UK
Interests: access to screening; inequalities in screening; cancer communication; behavioural science
Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8RZ, UK
Interests: intellectual disabilities; mental health; physical health; multimorbidity; ageing; family carers; oral health; data linkage; secondary data analysis; qualitative and quantitative research methods

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cancer screening could reduce deaths from cancer if the people invited participate. The challenge is that often, cancer screening programmes fail to sufficiently engage the most vulnerable, including those with disabilities, leading to persistent inequalities in uptake. Addressing inequalities remains a key priority for cancer control globally. The number of people living with a disability is increasing due to ageing populations and an increase in chronic health conditions. Failing to address the stark inequalities in access to cancer screening among people with disabilities is in contravention of international obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

Nevertheless, evidence on access to cancer screening for people with disabilities remains under-researched. There is an urgent need for a stronger evidence base and a more precise and targeted approach to supporting people with disabilities to access cancer screening and benefit from an earlier diagnosis of cancer.

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) aims to catalyze and share the current state of knowledge on improving access to cancer screening for people with disabilities. Empirical research papers, reviews, methodological papers, position papers, brief reports, and commentaries are welcome to this issue.

Dr. Kathryn A. Robb
Dr. Deborah Kinnear
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cancer screening
  • inequalities
  • disabilities
  • comorbidities
  • interventions
  • coproduction/codesign
  • barriers to access

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

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20 pages, 2254 KiB  
Review
Disability and Participation in Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Fahrin Ramadan Andiwijaya, Calum Davey, Khaoula Bessame, Abdourahmane Ndong and Hannah Kuper
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9465; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19159465 - 02 Aug 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3021
Abstract
It is well established that access to preventative care, such as breast or cervical cancer screening, can reduce morbidity and mortality. Certain groups may be missed out of these healthcare services, such as women with disabilities, as they face many access barriers due [...] Read more.
It is well established that access to preventative care, such as breast or cervical cancer screening, can reduce morbidity and mortality. Certain groups may be missed out of these healthcare services, such as women with disabilities, as they face many access barriers due to underlying inequalities and negative attitudes. However, the data have not been reviewed on whether women with disabilities face inequalities in the uptake of these services. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to compare the uptake of breast and cervical cancer screening in women with and without disabilities. A search was conducted in July 2021 across four databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, Global Health, and CINAHL. Quantitative studies comparing the uptake of breast or cervical cancer screening between women with and without disabilities were eligible. Twenty-nine studies were included, all from high-income settings. One third of the 29 studies (34.5%, n = 10) were deemed to have a high risk of bias, and the remainder a low risk of bias. The pooled estimates showed that women with disabilities have 0.78 (95% CI: 0.72–0.84) lower odds of attending breast cancer screening and have 0.63 (95% CI: 0.45–0.88) lower odds of attending cervical cancer screening, compared to women without disabilities. In conclusion, women with disabilities face disparities in receipt of preventative cancer care. There is consequently an urgent need to evaluate and improve the inclusivity of cancer screening programs and thereby prevent avoidable morbidity and mortality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Access to Cancer Screening among People with Disabilities)
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9 pages, 329 KiB  
Commentary
Cancer Disparities Experienced by People with Disabilities
by Rosemary B. Hughes, Susan Robinson-Whelen and Carly Knudson
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9187; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19159187 - 27 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1649
Abstract
People with disabilities, who represent a rapidly growing and seriously disadvantaged segment of the U.S. population, face unremitting barriers to equal and accessible healthcare and a high prevalence of chronic health conditions. A slowly growing body of research suggests multiple cancer-related disparities between [...] Read more.
People with disabilities, who represent a rapidly growing and seriously disadvantaged segment of the U.S. population, face unremitting barriers to equal and accessible healthcare and a high prevalence of chronic health conditions. A slowly growing body of research suggests multiple cancer-related disparities between people with and without disabilities. This commentary identifies multiple aspects of the cancer experience and highlights ways cancer is impacted by disability. This includes vulnerabilities to risk factors, barriers to accessing healthcare, and disparities in screening, diagnosis, and treatment. The authors offer six essential pathways for reducing cancer disparities faced by people with disabilities. It is clear that reducing cancer health disparities experienced by people with disabilities will require the commitment and cooperation of a wide range of stakeholders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Access to Cancer Screening among People with Disabilities)
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