Management of Cervical Cancer Mortality in Bolívar Department, Colombia: A 10-Year Assessment

OBJECTIVES: To assess the progression of management and outcomes of cervical cancer mortality in the Bolívar Department, Colombia, from 2013 to 2022.

METHODS: It is a descriptive quantitative analysis based on the mortality data from cervical cancer in the department of Bolívar, Colombia. The data was collected for the period from 2013 to 2022. The following variables were used for the quantitative analysis: Cervical cancer mortality rate: the number of deaths from cervical cancer per 100,000 women. To analyze trends in cervical cancer mortality, trend tests for time periods were used.

RESULTS: The mortality rate fluctuates slightly over the years but does not show a consistent increase or decrease. The highest rate is in 2016 (7.24 per 100,000 women), and the lowest is in 2013 (6.48 per 100,000 women). In the department of Bolívar, including Cartagena, there is more variability. The mortality rate peaks in 2019 (9.22 per 100,000 women), which is significantly higher than the rate for Colombia as a whole. There's a noticeable increase in the rate from 2013 to 2019, followed by a decrease. For Bolívar excluding Cartagena, the rates are generally lower than the total for Bolívar, indicating that Cartagena may have a higher mortality rate from cervical cancer compared to the rest of the department. The highest rate is observed in 2021 (8.01 per 100,000 women), while the lowest is in 2013 (3.11 per 100,000 women). The pattern is less clear, with fluctuations but an upward trend until 2021 and a slight decrease in 2022.

CONCLUSIONS: The disparity between the rates within Bolívar, including and excluding Cartagena, hints at potential regional variations in cervical cancer's impact or the success of health interventions like screenings and vaccinations. A comprehensive analysis, considering demographic variables, healthcare accessibility, and health policies, is necessary to elucidate the underlying reasons for these observed patterns.