Recommended Citation
Shallal A, Abada E, Fehmi Z, Kamatham S, Trak J, Fehmi O, Toma A, Farooqi S, Jang H, Kim S, Bandyopadhyay S, Zervos M, and Ali-Fehmi R. Human Papillomavirus Infection and Cervical Dysplasia in a Subset of Arab American Women. Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle) 2021; 2(1):273-278.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2021
Publication Title
Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle)
Abstract
Background: With limited health data on Arab Americans (AAs), we sought to describe the health-seeking behaviors, prevalence of abnormal cervical cytology and high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) serotypes, and the relationship with socioeconomic factors among a subset of AA women.
Methods: Retrospective observational cohort study of women undergoing routine cancer screening at the Arab-American Center for Economic and Social Services clinic. Data collected included demographics, tobacco use, gross monthly income, prior Papanicolaou (Pap) smear history, and results of cervical cytology and high-risk HPV testing.
Results: Of 430 women, 74 (17%) reported that they had never had a Pap smear. Three hundred eighty-eight (90%) women had cervical cytology interpreted as "negative for intraepithelial lesion," the remaining 42 (10%) women had abnormal results. Thirteen (3%) women reported prior abnormal Pap smear, which was significantly associated with additional abnormal Pap smear on multivariable analyses (odds ratio 65.46; 95% confidence interval [CI] 17.01-338.62; p < 0.001). One hundred twenty-five (29%) women were tested for high-risk HPV serotypes; 106 (91%) had negative results, 4 (3%) were positive for HPV-16, 7 (6%) were positive for other high-risk serotypes, and 8 results were not recorded. A negative HPV screen was significantly associated with a negative Pap smear (Fisher's exact test p = 0.006). There was no significant association between abnormal cervical cytology and evaluated socioeconomic factors.
Conclusions: Additional population based-studies to determine cervical dysplasia/cancer and HPV prevalence in women of Middle Eastern descent are needed.
PubMed ID
34318297
Volume
2
Issue
1
First Page
273
Last Page
278
