Investigator
Sorbonne Universit
Patterns of gynaecological check-up and their association with body mass index within the CONSTANCES cohort
Objectives To investigate the relationship between patterns of gynaecological check-up and body mass index while accounting for various determinants of health care use. Methods Sequence analysis and clustering were used to highlight patterns of gynaecological check-up, which included the regularity of breast and cervical cancer screening and visits to the gynaecologist over four years, among 6182 women aged 54–65 included in the CONSTANCES cohort between 2013 and 2015 in France. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to study the association between these patterns and women’s body mass index. Results We identified four patterns of gynaecological check-up, from (A) no or inappropriate check-up (20%) to (D) almost one visit to the gynaecologist every year, overscreening for cervical cancer and frequent use of opportunistic breast cancer screening (12%). From patterns A to D, the proportion of obese women decreased and that of women with normal body mass index increased. Obese and overweight women underwent more breast than cervical cancer screening and were less often overscreened than normal weight women. These differences were only partly explained by the lower socioeconomic situation of overweight and obese women. Beyond the financial barrier, the screening modality and the type of exam may play a role. Among women who were screened for cervical cancer, obese and overweight women were less often screened by a gynaecologist. Conclusion Further efforts should be made to enhance the take-up of screening among obese women who are deterred by the healthcare system.
The determinants of cervical cancer screening uptake in women with obesity: application of the Andersen’s behavioral model to the CONSTANCES survey
Despite their higher risk for and mortality from cervical cancer, evidence indicates low rates of cervical cancer screening (CCS) among women with obesity. The literature on the specific factors related to CCS nonadherence in this population is limited. We examined the data on 2,934 women with obesity included in the CONSTANCES survey from 2012 to 2015. Using the Andersen's behavioral model, we studied the relationships between the socioeconomic, sociodemographic, health, health personal behaviors, and healthcare use-related factors with CCS nonadherence. The analysis was performed using structural equation models. Regular follow-up by a gynecologist, good quality of primary care follow-up, and comorbidities were negatively associated with CCS nonadherence. Limited literacy, older age, being single, living without children, and financial strain were positively associated with CCS nonadherence. Our results do not point to competitive care, since women with comorbidities had better CCS behaviors, which were explained by a good quality of primary care follow-up. Our study identified the factors that explain CCS nonadherence among women with obesity and clarified the effects of health status and healthcare use on screening. Further efforts should be undertaken to reduce the obstacles to CCS by improving care among women with obesity.
