Chronic Comorbidities and Cervical Cancer Screening adherence in the Korean Population using KHNANES

Purpose: To investigate the cervical cancer screening rates in women with comorbidities – obesity, diabetes, and hypertension in the Korean Population. Methods Data of 2,972 people came from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data 2019. Cancer-free women 30 years old and over were included. Recommended and ever cervical cancer screening rates were compared in participants with and without comorbidities. Comorbidities involving obesity were measured using body mass index in kilograms (BMI ≥ 30kg/m 2 ), The presence of hypertension were measured by complete measurement of diastolic and systolic blood pressures while diabetes were defined based on people who had been diagnosed with diabetes by a physician and had received treatment for diabetes using insulin or other medication and those with fasting blood glucose of ≥ 126mg/dl. Baseline characteristics and cervical cancer screening rates were calculated using weighted frequencies and multivariable regression at 95% confidence interval in both participants. Results Ever and recommended cervical screening rates were significantly lower in diabetic patients P < 0.009 and p < 0.001 respectively than in those without diabetes. Recommended screening rate in hypertensive participants was lower, p < 0.036 compared to those without hypertension. Obese patients received lower screening rates, p < 0.013 compared with the non-obese participants. Conclusion Comorbidities including diabetes and obesity were less likely to have ever and recommended screening compared with those without diabetes and obesity. Greater efforts need to be made by physicians in high-risk groups to increase cervical cancer screening rates and to achieve parity.