Abstract
The feasibility of using an age-sex register as a basis for a cervical cancer screening programme was investigated in a London practice serving both inner city and suburban populations. Only about 25% of 810 women aged 35-59 years who had not recently been screened responded to an invitation to attend a practice well woman clinic for a cervical smear. Nearly 30% of the invitations were returned `not known at this address' and there was no reply from the remaining 45%. A high proportion of incorrect addresses considerably reduces the effectiveness of a cancer screening programme based on an age-sex register covering an area with a mobile population and also makes it difficult to follow up women with abnormal smears adequately. Opportunistic screening remains essential and every effort should be made to encourage women to be responsible for their own cancer screening programmes.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Duguid H. L., Duncan I. D., Currie J. Screening for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Dundee and Angus 1962-81 and its relation with invasive cervical cancer. Lancet. 1985 Nov 9;2(8463):1053–1056. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(85)90917-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Elkind A. K., Haran D., Eardley A., Spencer B. Computer-managed cervical cytology screening: a pilot study of non-attenders. Public Health. 1987 Jul;101(4):253–266. doi: 10.1016/s0033-3506(87)80076-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Elwood J. M., Cotton R. E., Johnson J., Jones G. M., Curnow J., Beaver M. W. Are patients with abnormal cervical smears adequately managed? Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1984 Oct 6;289(6449):891–894. doi: 10.1136/bmj.289.6449.891. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fox H. Cervical smears: new terminology and new demands. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1987 May 23;294(6583):1307–1308. doi: 10.1136/bmj.294.6583.1307. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fraser R. C., Clayton D. G. The accuracy of age-sex registers, practice medical records and family practitioner committee registers. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1981 Jul;31(228):410–419. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sansom C. D., MacInerney J., Oliver V., Wakefield J. Differential response to recall in a cervical screening programme. Br J Prev Soc Med. 1975 Mar;29(1):40–47. doi: 10.1136/jech.29.1.40. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sheldon M. G., Rector A. L., Barnes P. A. The accuracy of age-sex registers in general practice. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1984 May;34(262):269–271. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Silman A. J. Age-sex registers as a screening tool for general practice: size of the wrong address problem. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1984 Aug 18;289(6442):415–416. doi: 10.1136/bmj.289.6442.415. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Singer A. The abnormal cervical smear. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1986 Dec 13;293(6561):1551–1556. doi: 10.1136/bmj.293.6561.1551. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Standing P., Mercer S. Quinquennial cervical smears: every woman's right and every general practitioner's responsibility. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1984 Oct 6;289(6449):883–886. doi: 10.1136/bmj.289.6449.883. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wilson A., Leeming A. Cervical cytology screening: a comparison of two call systems. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1987 Jul 18;295(6591):181–182. doi: 10.1136/bmj.295.6591.181-a. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]