EBCOG position statement on Inequalities in screening for cervical and breast cancer.

Gynaecological cancers, namely breast and cervical cancer represent a high burden in women's health. It is well established that cervical and breast cancer screening programmes are effective in reducing morbidity and mortality. It is of the most importance to define strategies to provide a universal access to screening. In European countries, significant progress has been made over the past years concerning screening strategies, namely the choice of screening test, its frequency as well as the age to start and stop the screening. Introduction of Human Papillomavirus vaccination programmes is also making a measurable impact to reduce cervical cancer prevalence and mortality. Our survey has shown a variation among European countries in delivery of cervical and breast cancer screening programmes. These variations can be due to organizational, economic or cultural reasons. The European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology calls for an implementation of a unified policy of prevention, screening and early detection of cervical and breast cancer across Europe to optimize clinical outcomes and reduce variations.

Understanding childbirth as a complex salutogenic phenomenon: The EU COST BIRTH Action Special Collection.

In 2014, the EU funded a four-year European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action to address the topic of childbirth. The COST Birth Action was a cross-European network, that brought together over 120 scientists, practitioners, activists and policy makers from 34 countries to work on intrapartum care. The central aim was to advance the state of research and practice in a specific area of great clinical and social importance, intrapartum care. The Action used inter and trans-disciplinary approaches to address birth from multiple perspectives and drew on complexity theory and the concept of salutogenesis (wellbeing). This special collection presents six papers produced from the Action and gives a sense of the range and depth of the work conducted. The Collection illustrates the knowledge that can be generated when a diverse group of people come together with a similar goals and perspectives.

The effectiveness of psychosocial assessment in the detection and management of postpartum depression: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Perinatal mental disorders remain a public health concern. A psychosocial assessment gives a comprehensive understanding of a woman's circumstances by identifying risk factors that affect the overall mental state and function of the woman. The aim was to evaluate the current international evidence regarding the effectiveness of psychosocial assessments in the detection and management of postpartum depression. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Six health related databases were systematically searched from January 2000 to June 2016. Full papers reporting the effectiveness of psychosocial assessment on the detection and management of postpartum depression were included. A data extraction form was designed and piloted on two studies. Data were extracted on study design, population, study context, intervention/s and outcome/s. The methods of all the studies selected were critically appraised using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: A total of 692 citations were found. Four randomized control trials (RCTs) met full inclusion criteria and qualified for full paper review and data extraction. Due to the heterogeneity of the data retrieved a narrative synthesis was carried out. Overall, when compared to routine care, psychosocial assessments were found to be sensitive to detect risk factors associated with postnatal depression. Results from two of the included studies reported no statistically significant difference in outcomes amongst those who screened positive and received the intervention compared to those who screened positive and were given standard care. CONCLUSIONS: Presently there is a paucity of published data on the effectiveness of psychosocial assessment in the detection and management of postnatal depression and results show conflicting evidence. Further RCTs are recommended to further elucidate the effectiveness of psychosocial assessments.