A Systematic Review of Barriers and Facilitators to Mammography in Hispanic Women

Abstract

Purpose: A systematic review of the research on barriers and facilitators to mammography in Latinas was conducted to determine if the challenges faced by these women are unique to this population. Method: Medline and CINAHL database searches for the years 2005-2013 were included. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were used to guide this review. Results: Of the 174 articles identified, 18 articles met inclusion criteria. The most consistent findings were that income and education were associated with screening. Conclusions: Financial barriers and social characteristics were significant predictors of mammography in these studies, which were composed almost exclusively of low-income Latinas. These findings are similar to those found in other populations of low-income women and therefore are not likely unique to Latinas. Implications for Practice: It is likely that there is little difference between poor Latinas and other populations of poor, non-English-speaking women in barriers and facilitators to mammography.