RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: to analyze the decrease in mortality due to cervical cancer in insured population of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) and its relation to changes in the organization of the Program for Prevention and Control of Cervical Cancer (PCCaCu). MATERIAL AND METHODS: a descriptive study in which the annual rates of national mortality due to cervical cancer was analyzed from 1991 to 2005 was carried out. Information of deaths due to cervical cancer was obtained from the IMSS Mortality System (SISMOR), a database that identifies deaths occurred in insured population user of IMSS. The tendency was compared in three periods: I. 1991-1995, reorganization of the original program, II. 1996-2000, transition, and III. 2001-2005, incorporation to PREVENIMSS strategy. RESULTS: between 1991 and 2005, the mortality rate due to cervical cancer by 100 thousand women older than 24 years, decreased from 16.2 to 8.9 (45.1%). Between 1991 and 1995, the mortality rate increased 4.9%; between 1996 and 2000, it decreased 27% and in the last period, 2001-2005, it decreased 29.4%. The only differences that were statistically significant were the ones between the transition and the consolidation periods. The greatest decrease was registered when the PCCaCu was incorporated to PREVENIMSS strategy. CONCLUSIONS: the acceleration in the decrease of mortality rate due to cervical cancer can be explained by the reorganization and expansion of PCCaCu to target population and its incorporation to PREVENIMSS.