Mulheres encarceradas vítimas do câncer do colo uterino: revisão narrativa

Abstract

Introduction: The increase in the population of incarcerated women over time is a phenomenon observed in several countries and can be attributed to several factors. This female prison population has specific characteristics that make it susceptible to several comorbidities, including cervical cancer. Objective: To carry out a synthesis of scientific publications about the prevalence of cervical cancer in populations deprived of liberty. Method: This is a narrative review of the literature, carried out through the survey of scientific articles obtained from electronic research on publicly accessible sites such as the Virtual Health Library, Google Scholar and the U. S. National Library of Medicine. Results: 249 articles were identified, of which 32 contained information about “Women imprisoned victims of cervical cancer” in the title and abstract. After reading it in full, only 9 met the inclusion criteria. In addition, when analyzing the references of the review articles, 2 more studies were included, totaling 11 articles included in the study. Conclusion: Performing the Papanicolaou test in prisons requires greater attention and investment by the public authorities. The prison population has characteristics that expose them to a greater risk of acquiring cervical cancer, and the lack of human resources and knowledge about the importance of this exam for women's health can compromise their health. In this context, nurses play a key role, being responsible for health education, performing tests and treatments related to cervical cancer.