Achieving Health Equity in Preventive Services

This systematic evidence review summarizes research on achieving health equity in 10 preventive services for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes in adults by identifying the effects of impediments and barriers that create disparities and the effectiveness of strategies and interventions to reduce them.

Key Messages
• No eligible studies evaluated effects of provider barriers.
• Evidence is low or insufficient for effects of population barriers, including insurance, access, age, rural location, income, language, health literacy, country of origin, and attitudes.
• Screening rates are higher with patient navigation for colorectal, breast, and cervical cancer; telephone calls and prompts for colorectal cancer; and reminders with lay health workers for breast cancer.
• Evidence is low or insufficient for other interventions due to lack of studies or their limitations.