Adherencia al tamizaje de cáncer cérvicouterino: Una mirada desde el modelo de determinantes sociales de la salud

Background: Social Determinants consider "characteristics of the social context that affect health, as well as the mechanisms by which social conditions translate into health impacts". Interventions aimed at reducing diseases will be successful only when properly considered the social determinants of health. Objective: Analyze, based on the existing literature, WHO's Social Determinants of health model and its application to cervical cancer (CC) screening adherence. Results: There are many studies that establish the relationship between structural and intermediate determinants and adherence to screening. Even though there are contradictory studies, it is important the positive association between structural determinants and greater adherence: a higher education, employment and the presence of increased house holding come determine a greater adherence to screening. As structural determinants, several factors are reported, including house hold characteristics, residence time, characteristics of the health system, availability and contact with health professionals, risk factors for cervical cancer, knowledge and beliefs of the disease, among others. Conclusion: It is necessary to consider CC prevention from a much wider perspective, with an approach that goes beyond the biomedical phenomena that the lack of screening adherence entails, but as a social problem that explains this health behavior. It is suggested that CC prevention campaigns should consider the Social Determinants approach.