Views: 200 Downloads: 38

Abstract

Breast and cervical cancers are the most common cancers among women and are often addressed together in global health programs. Cancer is also among the costliest diseases, imposing heavy physical, psychological, and financial burdens on patients and their families. Insurance plays a crucial role in reducing costs and ensuring timely access to preventive and treatment services.

This study aimed to analyze the insurance coverage requirements for second-level preventive services for breast and cervical cancers in women. A systematic review was conducted by searching international databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, Google Scholar) and Iranian databases (SID, Magiran) up to December 2022, with an update in November 2023. From 9,218 identified articles, after duplicate removal, screening, and full-text review, 8 studies met eligibility criteria. Data were synthesized using qualitative meta-synthesis with Excel 16.0.

All included studies used retrospective cross-sectional methods: six were conducted in the United States, one in Colombia, and one in Israel. None explicitly addressed insurance coverage requirements for cancer screening. However, findings revealed that factors such as public vs. private insurance, being insured vs. uninsured, cancer characteristics, family history, gender differences, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, high medical costs, and patient involvement in care decisions influence the uptake of preventive services.

The results highlight that insurance coverage for preventive services in breast and cervical cancers is shaped by multiple social, economic, and demographic factors. These should be carefully considered by insurance organizations to support timely preventive and treatment measures.

Keywords: Breast cancer, Cervical cancer, Secondary prevention, Systematic review.