Cervical cancer screening: spatial associations of outcome and risk factors in Rotterdam

OBJECTIVE: Obtaining insight into the geographic distribution of attendance and smear test results at the cervical cancer screening program in Rotterdam neighbourhoods, associated with socio-economic status, marital status and the percentage migrants. DESIGN: Ecological analysis was carried out on data on cervical cancer screening outcome and population figures, provided by the Rotterdam Local Health Information System, in which health information is collected at neighbourhood level. SETTING: The cervical cancer screening program in the city of Rotterdam. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-three neighbourhoods, with overall 569,105 inhabitants, of whom 70,621 women between 1992 and 1994 were invited for the screening program. MAIN RESULTS: Between neighbourhoods a large difference in attendance rate and the percentage positive smears exists. A high socio-economic level of a neighbourhood, and a low percentage migrants, single or divorced women correspond with high attendance. A high socio-economic status of a neighbourhood and a low percentage migrants correspond with a low percentage smear test Pap 3B or higher. Socio-economic status, percentage migrants and marital status are highly interrelated on neighbourhood level. Multivariate analysis showed a negative correlation between the attendance rate and the percentage of single and divorced women, and a positive correlation between the percentage migrants and the percentage of positive smears (Pap 3B or higher). CONCLUSION: Various risk groups, showing low attendance or a high percentage of positive smears, are clustered in neighbourhoods and can be identified by socio-economic status, marital status and nationality. Activities to improve attendance can be focused towards these neighbourhoods.     

The screening history of women with cervical cancer in the Rotterdam area

Objective: In order to gain insight into the diagnostic effectiveness of the screening program on cervical cancer in the Rotterdam area, the history of women with cervical cancer was studied. Three questions were asked: (1) What percentage of women were invited to the screening program, and what percentage participated. (2) What percentage of women had had a negative smear within 3 years before cancer was diagnosed, and (3) What percentage of women encountered inadequate follow-up. Methods: All the cytological and histological results of women who were diagnosed with cervical carcinoma between 1992–1994 were studied. Results: Within 3 years of the diagnosis, 42% of the 165 women with cervical cancer were invited for the cervical screening program. A total of 47% were too old to be invited and 10% were too young. A total of 37% of the women who were invited participated in the screening program. A total of 33 (20%) of 165 women with cervical carcinoma had had a negative smear within three years preceding the diagnosis. For women under 34 years of age this was 41% (n = 7), and for women over 56 years 8% (n = 6). A total of 7% of all women with cervical cancer encountered inadequate follow-up. Conclusion: Many women with a diagnosis of cervical cancer are too old to be invited for the cervical screening program. Relatively few of the women with cervical cancer who were invited for the screening program actually participated in this program.     

Serious Psychological Distress as a Barrier to Cancer Screening Among Women

BackgroundThe purposes of the study were to examine the association of serious psychological distress (SPD) and cancer-screening utilization in a nationally representative sample of women aged 40 to 74 years and to identify barriers and facilitating factors to breast and cervical cancer screening among women with SPD.MethodsWomen aged 40 to 74 (n = 17,770) were selected from the Household Component of Medical Expenditure Panel Survey series of 2007, 2009, and 2011. SPD was defined as a score of 13 of higher on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale–6 items (K6 scale) of nonspecific psychological distress. Logistic regression was conducted to examine the association between SPD and up-to-date cancer screening.FindingsWomen with SPD had significantly lower rates of up-to-date clinical breast examination (67.56% vs. 81.93%), mammography (59.94% vs. 75.56%), and Pap smear (72.27% vs. 85.37%). In multivariate logistic regression analyses adjusting for sociodemographics, insurance, health behaviors, comorbidity, and service utilization, SPD was associated with nearly 40% decreased odds of being up to date with all three screening tests. Having a usual place of care, being physically active, and a greater number of past-year medical visits were strongly associated with higher odds of screening utilization among women with SPD.ConclusionsWomen with mental health problems have substantial risk for low use of routine breast and cervical cancer screenings. The K6 may be a useful tool to screen this risk factor. Frequent contact with the health care system among women with mental health problems opens up opportunities to reduce the mental illness-related disparities in utilization of cancer screening.     

Hispanic acculturation and utilization of cervical cancer screening in the US

BACKGROUND: Hispanic women have an incidence rate of invasive cervical cancer that is twice as high as that of non-Hispanic White women. Previous investigations have reported that Hispanics are less likely to utilize cancer screening services. Using data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey, this study examined whether acculturation of Hispanic women was associated with cervical cancer screening. METHODS: The subjects included 2307 Hispanic women aged 21-70 who did not have a history of cervical cancer or a hysterectomy. Women were analyzed by acculturation level according to whether or not they ever had a Pap smear and had one in the previous year and previous 3 years. RESULTS: Acculturation levels tended to be inversely correlated with no Pap smear. Compared to lower acculturated women, women who were more acculturated were less likely to never had a Pap smear (OR = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.58-1.27 for moderate acculturated women and OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.29-0.89 for higher acculturated women). Similar results were found for having no Pap smear within the past 3 years (OR = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.61-1.13 for moderate acculturated women and OR = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.49-1.08 for higher acculturated women). CONCLUSION: The findings show that lower acculturation was associated with the under use of cervical cancer screening and suggest that these women might have barriers in accessing and utilizing Pap smears.     

Investigating Hong Kong's Filipino domestic workers' healthcare behavior, knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards cervical cancer and cervical screening

The aim of this study was to investigate Hong Kong Filipino domestic workers health behaviors, knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about cervical screening and cancer. A concurrent cross sectional survey design used a snowball method of recruitment was used because of the acknowledged problematic access to a random sample of immigrant women. A total of 98 female domestic helpers were actively recruited through designated recreation centers. The women were between 24-45 years old (mean = 37.9, SD = 7.7). The majority of these women were employed as full-time domestic helpers (91%), were earning less than dollar 4000 Hong Kong dollars/month (92%), were married (82%), with children (91%), were non-smokers (88%), and had at least a secondary level of education (100%), with 66% of these women having completed post-secondary education. While the majority of women had previously heard about cervical smears (78%) more than half (53%) reported never having a cervical smear taken. Women who had a prior cervical smear had significantly more knowledge about cervical smears and cervical cancer (mean = 51.34, SD = 2.5) than those who never had a cervical smear (mean = 49.72, SD = 3.2). Recommendations are made for culturally tailored mass screening programmers out of office hours and health information to be provided in both written and oral Tagalong. Doctors and nurse ideally of Filipino origin should be used to deliver health messages that prioritize the importance of self protection for the family and future fertility issues, culturally prized within Filipino society.     

Understanding the role of violence in incarcerated women's cervical cancer screening and history

In this exploratory study the authors investigated characteristics, including reported experiences of violence, related to incarcerated women's self-report of cervical cancer screening and cancer history and treatment. During a four month period in 2010, 204 women in Kansas City jails were surveyed. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the relations of socio-demographic and community characteristics and history of violence among the women to their cervical cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment histories. Forty percent of the women in the current sample reported abnormal Pap histories, though only 6% of all Pap smears done in the U.S. are abnormal. Women who reported abuse histories in this study were found to be more likely to report having ever had an abnormal Pap smear (for physical abuse Odds Ratio [OR] = 6.05; CI 2.36, 15.54 and for past year intimate partner violence OR = 2.41; CI 1.09, 5.31). Participants who did not fear neighborhood violence were less likely to report an abnormal Pap history (OR = 0.57; CI 0.34, 0.96) and more likely to visit a family doctor for their Pap screenings (OR = 1.91; CI 1.01, 3.60). Women who perceived greater neighborhood violence had increased odds of reporting that they received Pap screenings in a hospital setting (OR = 1.47; CI 1.08, 2.00). Frequency of Pap screening did not differ in women who did and did not have fear of neighborhood violence. This study highlights the heightened cervical cancer risk experienced by women with criminal justice histories and suggests that violence at several levels has implications for cervical cancer prevention for these women.     

Understanding the Role of Violence in Incarcerated Women's Cervical Cancer Screening and History

In this exploratory study the authors investigated characteristics, including reported experiences of violence, related to incarcerated women's self-report of cervical cancer screening and cancer history and treatment. During a four month period in 2010, 204 women in Kansas City jails were surveyed. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the relations of socio-demographic and community characteristics and history of violence among the women to their cervical cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment histories. Forty percent of the women in the current sample reported abnormal Pap histories, though only 6% of all Pap smears done in the U.S. are abnormal. Women who reported abuse histories in this study were found to be more likely to report having ever had an abnormal Pap smear (for physical abuse Odds Ratio [OR] = 6.05; CI 2.36, 15.54 and for past year intimate partner violence OR = 2.41; CI 1.09, 5.31). Participants who did not fear neighborhood violence were less likely to report an abnormal Pap history (OR = 0.57; CI 0.34, 0.96) and more likely to visit a family doctor for their Pap screenings (OR = 1.91; CI 1.01, 3.60). Women who perceived greater neighborhood violence had increased odds of reporting that they received Pap screenings in a hospital setting (OR = 1.47; CI 1.08, 2.00). Frequency of Pap screening did not differ in women who did and did not have fear of neighborhood violence. This study highlights the heightened cervical cancer risk experienced by women with criminal justice histories and suggests that violence at several levels has implications for cervical cancer prevention for these women.     

Cervical cancer screening: who is not screened and why?

BACKGROUND: The decline in death rates from cervical cancer in the United States has been widely attributed to the use of Papanicolaou (Pap) smears for early detection of cervical cancer. METHODS: Pap smear screening rates, beliefs about appropriate screening intervals and factors affecting screening were examined using 1987 National Health Interview Survey data. RESULTS: Results indicate that through age 69, Blacks are screened at similar or higher rates than Whites. Hispanics, particularly those speaking only or mostly Spanish, are least likely to have received a Pap smear within the last three years. Of women who had never heard of or never had a Pap smear, nearly 80 percent reported contact with a medical practitioner in the past two years, while more than 90 percent reported a contact in the past five years. Overall, the most frequently reported reason for not having a recent Pap smear was procrastinating or not believing it was necessary. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, in developing screening programs, Hispanics, particularly Spanish speakers, must be targeted. In addition, educational programs should target unscreened women who forego the test due to underestimating its importance, procrastination, or because their medical care provider did not suggest the procedure. Women must be intensively educated that Pap smears should be scheduled routinely to detect asymptomatic cervical cancer.     

Predictors of cervical cancer screening in Mexican American women of reproductive age

Several barriers impede cancer prevention in the Mexican American population. This study identified sociocultural factors that could be used to increase screening rates for cervical cancer in women of reproductive age. A survey was conducted in 1991 of 366 Mexican American women ages 18 to 40 in Tucson, Arizona, to assess current compliance with cervical cancer screening guidelines and several psychological, social, and cultural variables. Women who had never been screened (13 percent of the sample) had a knowledge deficit, no gynecological care, and no sexual activity. Women not screened annually (16 percent) lacked preventive care, imperfectly understood the Pap test, had lower self-efficacy expectations for understanding physicians, experienced higher emotional stress about the test, and were older and less acculturated. Women who have never been screened require basic education on cancer and cancer screening and policy changes increasing access to care. For women with less routine screening, preventive care, supportive attitudes, and health care skills must be encouraged.     

Perceptions of cervical cancer threat, benefits, and barriers of Papanicolaou smear screening programs for women in Iran

OBJECTIVES: The main purpose was to assess associations between HBM variables and participation in cervical cancer screening programs in a sample of Iranian women. METHODS: A total of 333 married women of childbearing age were recruited with cluster sampling. The study was conducted from spring 2002 to spring 2003 and a self-report questionnaire and structured interview were designed to measure the four HBM constructs and Iranian women's knowledge about Pap smear screening. RESULTS: A total of 68.5% reported having undergone at least one Pap test. Women were more likely to participate in Pap smears when they had access to knowledge about cervical cancer and screening programs. Furthermore, the perceived benefit and barrier variables of the Health belief model were two factors related to participation in Pap smear testing. CONCLUSIONS: Health care professionals must provide women with more information about cervical cancer and the benefits of participating in cervical cancer screening programs.     

Limited Pap screening associated with reduced risk of cervical cancer in South Africa

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effect of Pap smear screening on the incidence of invasive cancer of the cervix in the Western Cape, South Africa where screening is limited. METHODS: Data were derived from a case-control study of the association of hormonal contraceptives and invasive cervical cancer. Incident cases (n = 524) of invasive cervical cancer who presented at two tertiary hospitals and controls (n = 1540) series matched for age, race, and place of residence were interviewed. Information on a wide range of variables was collected including whether the women had previously had a Pap smear taken and the number and timing of smears. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI were calculated using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: The OR of cervical cancer was reduced among women who had ever had a smear (OR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.3-0.4). The OR declined with increasing number of smears to 0.2 for >/=>3 smears (trend P = 0.0003). Among women who had a smear <5 years previously the OR was 0.3, but even if the smear was taken >/=15 years previously the women remained at reduced risk (OR = 0.5). CONCLUSION: The data suggest that even limited Pap smear screening reduces the risk of cervical cancer. Should a screening programme be successfully implemented, the incidence of cervical cancer might be reduced by as much as 70%.     

Is a history of trauma associated with a reduced likelihood of cervical cancer screening?

OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypothesis that a history of trauma (especially sexual trauma) was associated with a reduced likelihood of having had medically appropriate cervical cancer screening. STUDY DESIGN: A case-control study using mailed self-report questionnaires. POPULATION: The questionnaires were completed by an age-stratified random sample of adult women members of a large health maintenance organization. The sample included 364 women who had received medically appropriate cervical cancer screening and 372 who had not. OUTCOMES MEASURED: We defined cases as women who, according to their medical record, had not had cervical cancer screening within 2 years before the study. Controls were defined as women who had been screened. We evaluated exposures to trauma that we hypothesized to be associated with the case/control state. RESULTS: Women who had been sexually abused in childhood were less likely to have had a Pap smear within the past 2 years (36.0% vs. 50.4%, P =.050). Other traumatic events were associated with Pap testing in bivariate analyses but not when demographic characteristics and clinic location were controlled. Childhood sexual abuse remained associated with reduced odds of Pap screening in logistic regression analyses that controlled for clinic location, demographics, attitudes about Pap screening, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (adjusted OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.91). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that childhood sexual abuse may lead to decreased probability of screening for cervical cancer, potentially contributing to the poorer health seen in other studies of women who have been sexually abused.     

Compliance with Papanicolaou smear screening following tubal ligation in women with cervical cancer

To evaluate patient compliance with Papanicolaou (Pap) smear screening after tubal ligation compared with other methods of birth control in patients who develop cervical cancer, a retrospective review of 262 women with cervical cancer diagnosed at age < or = 70 years was undertaken at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine from January 1987 to December 1995. Demographic data, stage of the disease, histologic type, history of smoking, history of sexually transmitted disease (STD), and birth control use were recorded. The Pap screening history was obtained from all the patients. Women who had a bilateral tubal ligation (BTL) were compared with those who did not have this form of birth control. The date and result of their last Pap test prior to their diagnosis of cervical cancer was noted. Two hundred fourteen women with cervical cancer were evaluable. The clinical stage, mean age, history of smoking, and history of STD were similar for both groups. Gravidity among the BTL group was higher than in the non-BTL group (p < 0.01). Forty-eight (22.4%) women had a previous BTL. Twenty-seven of these 48 patients (56.3%) did not have a Pap smear within 3 years prior to the diagnosis of cervical cancer. Of the 166 patients, 61 (36.7%) did not have a Pap test within 3 years (p < 0.05). Fourteen women (29.2%) in the tubal ligation group never returned for a Pap test following the BTL. An average of 6.2+/-5.9 years elapsed since the last Pap test in the BTL group, with 4.0+/-5.1 years in the nontubal ligation group (p < 0.05). There was a correlation between the number of years since BTL (14.2+/-7.7) to the number of years since the last Pap test (6.2+/-5.9) (p < 0.05). Women who have had a BTL should be considered high risk because of poor screening compliance. A Pap test every 3 years is not adequate in this high-risk population group. We advocate improved counseling regarding the importance of continued annual Pap screening for women who are considering tubal ligation.     

常州市2000名农村已婚妇女宫颈癌筛查结果分析

目的 了解我市农村地区已婚妇女宫颈癌发病情况,争取做到早发现、早治疗和降低死亡率,探讨更适合农村已婚妇女的宫颈癌筛查方式.方法 对我市2 000名农村已婚妇女采用改良巴氏涂片法行宫颈采样,对经妇科检查和脱落细胞学检查有异常的已婚妇女再行阴道镜检查和组织病理学检查.结果 参加宫颈癌筛查的2 000人中,问卷调查确定阳性者175例（8.75％）,巴氏细胞涂片检测确定阳性者170例（8.50％）,二者结合确定阳性者316例（15.80％）.109例接受伯塞斯达系统（TBS）阴道镜检查,检出宫颈病变29例（检出率为26.61％）.结论 对已婚妇女进行宫颈癌筛查最简单的检测方法为细胞学检查,如果同时配合阴道镜检查,采用TBS分类法报告比较检查结果,不仅可以提高检测准确率,而且便于宫颈癌的早期发现、早期治疗.     

Evaluation of the organization of the mass screening program for cervix cancer in northern Limburg]

The 1990 programme for screening of cervical cancer in North Limburg in the Netherlands was evaluated with a view improving the programme. Information was gathered from women in the screening programme, general practitioners, the health insurance company, the laboratory, and the city councils. With data from literature estimates were made of the effects of the screening in the region. All participants in the screening programme were satisfied with the set-up of the programme. 52% of all women did respond to the invitation for a smear, (in the first 7 months 3620 smears were made). 31% of the women did not need a smear because the uterus had been completely removed or because a smear had been made shortly before. 5% of the women did not receive an invitation. Only 11% of the women who needed a smear did not respond to the invitation, because of lack of time or objections. A so-called 'protection degree' for cervical cancer of 83% was achieved. The degree of protection was the same for different villages, age groups and income levels. The invitation of 12,000 women each year for a smear, leads to an estimate of 185 follow-up tests, detection of 20 women with abnormal results, unnecessary (minor) treatment of 12 women, prevention of two to three major treatments and of one to two deaths per year. Because of the limited positive effects and the relatively large negative effects the authors think that the cervical screening programme is questionable.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Screening for cervical cancer in Jamaica

Invasive cervical cancer is a leading cause of death in Jamaica despite the availability of Pap smear screening. 90% of women who die from cervical cancer have never been screened. The effectiveness of Pap smear screening depends on women's knowledge of and attitudes toward screening, the availability of this service, the adequacy of laboratory facilities to process the smears, staffing of clinics and laboratories, quality control, a system of recall of women with positive smears, and economic factors. This article reviews the impact of each of these factors in the Jamaican context. Most women have heard of the Pap smear but believe its purpose is to detect rather than prevent cervical cancer. Screening rates are low among poor, uneducated women. As a result of staff shortages in government laboratories, there is a long delay before Pap smear results are returned. The problem of cervical cancer is severe enough in Jamaica to justify the reallocation of funds from less critical areas.     

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to the Pap smear among women with cervical cancer

Despite screening programs, Brazil has a high cervical cancer mortality rate. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to analyze knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to the Pap smear and to understand why women fail to submit to this screening test. A structured questionnaire was used to interview 138 women: 90 with high grade intraepithelial neoplasia and 48 with invasive cervical cancer. Inadequate practices were more frequent among women with invasive cancer. In terms of difficulties in obtaining medical care, more than 80% of women reported lack of motivation, 60% reported that physicians failed to conduct a complete physical examination, and some 50% reported that physicians' schedules were busy. Having a Pap smear usually depended on a physician's request and the woman being symptomatic. Women over than 56 years old showed more frequent inadequate knowledge, attitudes and practices. However, those with more schooling were more knowledgeable of the Pap smear procedure. Age and less schooling could be barriers against women participating in screening programs, but socioeconomic problems must also be considered for improving practices related to the Pap smear.     

Incidence of cervical cancer following negative smear. A cohort study from Maribo County, Denmark

In order to estimate the risk of developing cervical cancer among women who originally had cytologically normal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears, information has been collected on all Pap smears taken in Maribo County, Denmark in 1966-1982 among women born 1918-1952. A total of 27,811 women are included in the study, and cases of invasive cervical cancer developed in the study population have been identified from the local department of pathology and from the Danish Cancer Registry. The incidence of cervical cancer has been tabulated by number of previous negative smears and by time elapsed since last negative smear. Women with one previous negative smear have a zero risk of developing cervical cancer during the first year following the negative smear. The incidence among these women increases with length of time since the negative smear and reaches the level of unscreened women during the fifth year of follow-up. Women with 2-4 previous negative smears also have a negligible risk of developing cervical cancer during the first two years following the last negative smear. The incidence among these women increases less over time than the incidence for women with one previous negative smear. No cases of cervical cancer were observed among 7,716 women with 5+ previous negative smears. The study indicates that the 5-year risk of developing cervical cancer is 48% lower in women with one previous negative smear than in an unselected population of unscreened women. The 5-year risk for women with 2-4 previous negative smears is 69% lower than that for unscreened women.     

宁德市2009-2018年农村妇女宫颈癌筛查结果分析

目的 分析福建省宁德市农村妇女宫颈癌检查项目数据,了解宁德市农村妇女宫颈癌检查项目落实及宫颈疾病发生情况.方法 收集2009-2018年宁德市农村妇女宫颈癌检查项目季报表数据,比较初筛阳性进一步接受检查落实、宫颈病变检出率的变化趋势及不同宫颈癌初筛方法宫颈病变检出率的变化.初筛方案根据卫生经济资源采用巴氏涂片或者液基薄...     

Improving adherence to regular pap smear screening among Asian women: a population-based study in Singapore.

This study addresses the issue of adherence to regular screening for cervical cancer in Asian women and factors that would promote this. A community-based cross-sectional survey was carried out among 726 women (30-59 years) in Singapore. Although the overall screening prevalence was 62.4%, only 42% reported having regular smears. Women in the irregular group were more likely to have a Pap smear as part of postnatal or family planning visits, whereas the primary reason for attendance among the regular group was likely to be screening or a health checkup. Chief barriers to regular screening were low perceived susceptibility (46.5%) and low accessibility (37.1%). One third of women who have ever had a smear do not return for regular screening. Appropriate windows of opportunity in contact between women and the health care services should be used to convey the importance of adherence to screening.