Latinas in the United States Facing Healthcare Access Challenges in a Mid-Size Urban Community

This study examines the discrepancies and underlying factors in access to healthcare resources regarding breast and cervical cancer for Latinas in a mid-sized urban midwestern community. A survey was conducted at clinics hosted by a local non-profit organization, and forty participants completed surveys for this study (n=40). Bivariate correlation analysis in SPSS determined that significant positive correlations were found between the subjects’ knowledge of the signs and symptoms of cervical cancer and their knowledge of the recommended frequency of receiving pap smears (p<0.01). Additionally, significant positive correlations were found between whether a subject had a primary care physician and their awareness of the resources available to them regarding breast and cervical cancer (p<0.01). Also, this study suggests that existing discrepancies in critical healthcare screening exist within the targeted community and are similar or worse than findings from larger urban regions throughout the US.