OBJECTIVE: Cervical cancer screening by surveys overestimate coverage because of selection and reporting biases. METHODS: The prepared Inter-Mutualistic Agency dataset has about 13 million records from Pap smears, colposcopies, cervical biopsies and surgery, performed in Belgium between 1996 and 2000. Cervical cancer screening coverage was defined as the proportion of the target population (women of 25-64 years) that has had a Pap smear taken within the last 3 years. Proportions and incidence rates were computed using official population data of the corresponding age group, area and calendar year. RESULTS: Cervical cancer screening coverage, in the period 1998-2000, was 59% at national level, for the target age group 25-64 years. Differences were small between the 3 regions. Variation ranged from 39% to 71%. Coverage was 64% for 25-29 year old women, 67% for those aged 30-39 years, 56% for those aged 50-54. The modal screening interval was 1 year. In the 3-year period 1998-2000, 3 million smears were taken from the 2.7 million women in the age group 25-64. Only 1.6 million women of the target group got one or more smears in that period and 1.1 million women had no smears, corresponding to an average of 1.88 smears per woman. CONCLUSION: Coverage reached only 59%, but the number of smears used was sufficient to cover more than 100% of the target population. Structural reduction of overuse and extension of coverage is warranted.
OBJECTIVE: Cervical cancer screening by surveys overestimate coverage because of selection and reporting biases. METHODS: The prepared Inter-Mutualistic Agency dataset has about 13 million records from Pap smears, colposcopies, cervical biopsies and surgery, performed in Belgium between 1996 and 2000. Cervical cancer screening coverage was defined as the proportion of the target population (women of 25-64 years) that has had a Pap smear taken within the last 3 years. Proportions and incidence rates were computed using official population data of the corresponding age group, area and calendar year. RESULTS: Cervical cancer screening coverage, in the period 1998-2000, was 59% at national level, for the target age group 25-64 years. Differences were small between the 3 regions. Variation ranged from 39% to 71%. Coverage was 64% for 25-29 year old women, 67% for those aged 30-39 years, 56% for those aged 50-54. The modal screening interval was 1 year. In the 3-year period 1998-2000, 3 million smears were taken from the 2.7 million women in the age group 25-64. Only 1.6 million women of the target group got one or more smears in that period and 1.1 million women had no smears, corresponding to an average of 1.88 smears per woman. CONCLUSION: Coverage reached only 59%, but the number of smears used was sufficient to cover more than 100% of the target population. Structural reduction of overuse and extension of coverage is warranted.
Authors: Andrzej Nowakowski; Marek Cybulski; Andrzej Śliwczyński; Arkadiusz Chil; Zbigniew Teter; Przemysław Seroczyński; Marc Arbyn; Ahti Anttila Journal: BMC Cancer Date: 2015-04-14 Impact factor: 4.430
Authors: W A A Tjalma; X B Trinh; M Rosenlund; A P Makar; F Kridelka; D Rosillon; P A Van Dam; S Collas De Souza; K Holl; P Simon; D Jenkins Journal: Facts Views Vis Obgyn Date: 2015
Authors: Raluca Dania Todor; Gabriel Bratucu; Marius Alexandru Moga; Adina Nicoleta Candrea; Luigi Geo Marceanu; Costin Vlad Anastasiu Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-02-10 Impact factor: 3.390