Cervical Cancer Prevention among Latinas in a Post-HPV Vaccine World: Considering the Sociocultural Context

Abstract

Cervical cancer offers a salient example of how sociocultural factors such as gender, ethnicity/race, class, and attitudes toward sexuality converge to shape the risk and experience of cancer among women. This article takes a sociocultural approach in considering how increased public knowledge about human papillomavirus (HPV) may be changing the climate of cervical cancer prevention for Latinas. Specifically, it describes relevant sociocultural norms found in some Latino/a communities and discusses how they may act as barriers to and facilitators of health behavior change. Recommendations for incorporating this information in the development of interventions and research are also presented.

KEYWORDS:

• Latinas
• human papillomavirus (HPV)
• cervical cancer
• cancer prevention
• culture and cancer prevention

Notes

Borrowing from Chavez et al. (1995), we use the term “Latinas” as a general term to describe women who self-identify as being of Latin American descent, including Mexican, Central American, South American, Caribbean, or Spanish heritage. For the purposes of this article, Latinas includes both U.S.-born and immigrant individuals, unless otherwise indicated.