Publication date: May 28, 2026
Cervical cancer remains a major public health challenge in China, with persistent urban-rural disparities in screening coverage. The epidemiological landscape of HPV genotype distribution and screening outcomes across geographic settings remains incompletely characterized. We compared HPV prevalence, genotype distribution, and screening outcomes between urban and rural populations in Xi’an, China, during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period (2023-2025). This retrospective cross-sectional study analysed HPV testing records from 16,365 women (11,449 urban, 4,916 rural) screened between January 2023 and December 2025. Primary urban-rural comparisons were restricted to the 15 high-risk genotypes common to both detection platforms (HPV16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68). Histopathological follow-up was characterised within the rural sub-cohort only (matched urban cascade data unavailable). Statistical analyses included chi-square with Bonferroni correction, Wilson 95% CIs, and network analysis for co-infection patterns; significance set at p
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| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| China | Cervical cancer screening |
| Pandemic | China |
| Rural | Co-infection |
| Follow-up adherence | |
| Healthcare equity | |
| HPV genotype | |
| HPV52 | |
| Human papillomavirus | |
| Urban–rural disparity |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | cervical cancer |
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 pandemic |
| disease | MESH | included |
| disease | MESH | co-infection |
| disease | MESH | Infectious Diseases |
| disease | MESH | Dis |
| pathway | REACTOME | Reproduction |
| disease | MESH | infections |
| disease | MESH | Persistent infection |
| disease | MESH | HPV infection |
| disease | MESH | cervical intraepithelial neoplasia |
| disease | MESH | Low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Acetic acid |
| disease | MESH | face |