BACKGROUND Although the Pap smear is known as one of the effective methods to detect the cervical cancer, a large group of women are reluctant to do the test because of various reasons. Therefore, we carried out this study to determine the level of knowledge about cervical cancer and Pap smear and the factors influencing the Pap test screening among women. METHODS In this cross-sectional stud...

AIMS The aims of this study were: 1) to assess the level of knowledge of women about Pap smear tests, 2) to determine the practices of women regarding Pap smear tests, and 3) to determine the barriers to Pap smear tests in Elmina, Ghana. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with 392 randomly selected sexually active females aged 10-74 years using structured interview questions. The I...

AIMS To audit factors associated with the development of invasive cervical cancer. METHODS Twenty cases of invasive cervical cancer in one health district for 1991-93 were audited by multifactorial analysis. RESULTS The average age was 53 years with 20% (4/20) aged over 65 years. Of the patients, 45% (9/20) were identified by a cervical smear, with 40% (8/20) from the National Screening Pro...

BACKGROUND The clinical and prognostic significance of "inadequate" cervical smear is unknown, even though women with repeated inadequate smears are referred for colposcopy in the National Health Service (NHS) Cervical Screening Programme. AIM To follow up a cohort of women with inadequate cervical smears over the following five years to examine outcomes, including detection of high grade cer...

OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence of cervical cancer after several negative cervical smear tests at different ages. DESIGN Prospective observational study of incidence of cervical cancer after the third consecutive negative result based on individual level data in a national registry of histopathology and cytopathology (PALGA). SETTING Netherlands, national data. Population 218,847 women...

OBJECTIVE: To determine why invasive cervical carcinoma still occurs despite the availability of cervical smear screening services. DESIGN: Questionnaire survey and retrospective study of patient records of women who attended a gynaecological oncology out-patients clinic from 13 February 1997 to 30 June 1997. SETTING: Public hospital, Hong Kong. PATIENTS: Ninety-nine women (median age, 53 years...

BACKGROUND The reduction in cervical cancer mortality in developed countries has been attributed to well-organized, population-based prevention and control programs that incorporate screening with the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. In Mexico, there has been a decrease in cervical cancer mortality, but it is unclear what factors have prompted this reduction. METHODS Using data from national indicat...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine cells (split-sample) that were retained on sampling devices used to collect conventional Pap smears (primary smears) in order to evaluate specimen adequacy and cytological diagnosis of scrapings that are routinely discarded. STUDY DESIGN Cervical scrapings from women attending routine cervical cancer screening were obtained using a cervical brush...

INTRODUCTION PAP smear is an important tool which compliment histopathology in detection of various cervical lesions. Since last few decades, it is becoming easy and cost-effective way for early detection of pre-cancerous and cancerous cervical lesions. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to evaluate the utero-cervical lesions in peri& post-menopausal age group by Pap smear method; ...