General Practitioner Based Screening for Cervical Cancer: Higher Participation of Women with a Higher Risk?

Abstract

Objective— To test the hypothesis that a personal invitation for cervical screening by a woman's own general practitioner (GP) achieves a higher attendance of women with an increased risk for cervical cancer. Setting— Two general practices and the local health authority screening programme for cervical cancer, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Methods— Attendance rates of women with an increased risk of cervical cancer were compared for two invitation strategies: (a) invitation by the woman's own GP, and ( b) invitation by a national call system through the local health authority. Data on risk profiles were gathered by questionnaire. Two hundred and thirty eight women eligible for screening were invited by their GPs (GP group), and 235 women by the local health authority (control group) in 1992. Results— The personal invitation by the GP resulted in an 18% higher overall attendance, and a 28% higher attendance of women with greater risk because of sexual behaviour and smoking. Conclusion— Greater involvement of the GP in inviting women for cervical cancer screening results in a higher attendance, particularly among women with increased risk, than a less personal health authority call system.