UC Davis

Objective

Little is known about how the COVID-19 pandemic affected cancer screenings among American Indian people residing in California and Oklahoma, 2 states with the largest American Indian populations. We assessed rates and factors associated with cancer screenings among American Indian adults during the pandemic.

Methods

From October 2020 through January 2021, we surveyed 767 American Indian adults residing in California and Oklahoma. We asked participants whether they had planned to obtain screenings for breast cancer, cervical cancer, and colorectal cancer (CRC) from March through December 2020 and whether screening was postponed because of COVID-19. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) for factors associated with reasons for planned and postponed cancer screening.

Results

Among 395 participants eligible for breast cancer screening, 234 (59.2%) planned to obtain the screening, 127 (54.3%) of whom postponed it. Among 517 participants eligible for cervical cancer screening, 357 (69.1%) planned to obtain the screening, 115 (32.2%) of whom postponed it. Among 454 participants eligible for CRC screening, 282 (62.1%) planned to obtain CRC screening, 80 of whom (28.4%) postponed it. In multivariate analyses, women who lived with a child (vs did not) had lower odds of planning to obtain a breast cancer screening (AOR = 0.6; 95% CI, 0.3-1.0). Adherence to social distancing recommendations was associated with planning to have and postponement of cervical cancer screening (AOR = 7.3; 95% CI, 0.9-58.9). Participants who received (vs did not receive) social or financial support had higher odds of planning to have CRC screening (AOR = 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.9).

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic impeded completion of cancer screenings among American Indian adults. Interventions are needed to increase the intent to receive evidence-based cancer screenings among eligible American Indian adults.