Effects of Hurricanes and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic on Cervical Cancer Diagnosis in Puerto Rico

This cross-sectional study evaluated the effects of hurricanes and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the diagnosis of cervical cancer in Puerto Rico. Interrupted time series analysis was performed on monthly counts of cases diagnosed between January 2012 and December 2021. Before the hurricanes, the number of cases diagnosed per month was stable, at an average of 20 (95% CI, 18-22). After the hurricanes (end of September 2017), diagnosed cases dropped by 62.1% and reached prehurricane levels in the subsequent 5 months. After the COVID-19 restrictions (April 2020), only one case was reported. In the subsequent months and up to the end of the study period (December 2021), an upward trend of diagnosed cases was observed, but cases did not reach pre-COVID-19 levels. Major events affected the diagnosis of cervical cancer in Puerto Rico. Potential detection delays warrant further evaluation.