Sociodemographic characteristics associated with cervical cancer screening participation by send-to-all and opt-in HPV self-sampling: Who benefits? Results from a randomized controlled trial among long-term non-attending women in Norway.

With the objective to investigate associations between sociodemographic characteristics and participation in interventions designed to increase participation in cervical cancer screening among under-screened women, we randomized a random sample of 6000 women in Norway aged 35-69 years who had not attended cervical screening for ≥10 years to receive either (i) a reminder to attend regular screening (control), (ii) an offer to order a self-sampling kit (opt-in), or (iii) a self-sampling kit unsolicited (send-to-all). We analyzed how sociodemographic characteristics were associated with screening participation within and between screening arms. In the send-to-all arm, increased screening participation ranged from 17.1% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 10.3% to 23.8%) to 30.0% (95% CI = 21.5% to 38.6%) between sociodemographic groups. In the opt-in arm, we observed smaller, and at times, non-significant increases within the range 0.7% (95% CI = -5.8% to 7.3%) to 19.1% (95% CI = 11.6% to 26.7%). In send-to-all versus control comparisons, there was greater increase in participation for women in the workforce versus not (6.1%, 95% CI = 1.6% to 10.6%), with higher versus lower income (7.6%, 95% CI = 2.2% to 13.1%), and with university versus primary education (8.5%, 95% CI = 2.4% to 14.6%). In opt-in versus control comparisons, there was greater increase in participation for women in the workforce versus not (4.6%, 95% CI = 0.7% to 8.5%), with higher versus lower income (6.3%, 95% CI = 1.5% to 11.1%), but lower increase for Eastern European versus Norwegian background (-12.7%, 95% CI = -19.7% to -5.7%). Self-sampling increased cervical screening participation across all sociodemographic levels, but inequalities in participation should be considered when introducing self-sampling, especially with the goal to reach long-term non-attending women.

Women's country of birth and failure to catch up an overdue cervical cancer cytological screening participation during pregnancy in France, an observational study based on survey sources.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, both for incidence and mortality. Prevention relies on screening with a Pap test to detect precancerous lesions, which can then be treated. Access to this screening is currently both improvable and inequitable. Pregnancy may be an ideal moment for women to catch up on their overdue cervical cancer screening. In the general population, women's risk of not being screened is associated with their place of birth and other social factors; this may be true as well among pregnant women. Our objective was to study the association between women's place of birth and their failure to catch up with this screening during pregnancy. METHODS: The 2016 French National Perinatal Survey included 13,147 women who gave birth after 21 weeks of gestation. The association between their place of birth and failure to catch up on this screening (defined by the absence of a Pap test during pregnancy for women overdue for it) was adjusted for age, parity, education level, health insurance, and when they began prenatal care with logistic regression models. RESULTS: Among the women for whom screening was then recommended, 49% were not up to date at the start of pregnancy, and of these, 53% were not caught up before delivery. After adjustment for other risk factors, maternal place of birth was not associated with a higher risk of failure to catch up with this screening during pregnancy. However, factors identified as associated with this risk included a low education level and late start of prenatal care. CONCLUSION: About half of women overdue for cervical cancer screening did not catch up with it during their pregnancy. Professionals should pay special attention to women with lower education levels and late initiation of prenatal care, who constitute a group at high risk of not catching up on this screening during pregnancy.

Variation in cervical cancer screening test utilization and results in a United States-based program.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about cervical cancer screening strategy utilization (cytology alone, cytology plus high-risk human papillomavirus [HPV] testing [cotesting], primary HPV testing) and test results in the United States. METHODS: Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program were analyzed for 199,578 persons aged 21-65 years screened from 2019 to 2020. Screening test utilization and results were stratified by demographic characteristics and geographic region. Age-standardized pooled HPV test positivity and genotyping test positivity were estimated within cytology result categories. RESULTS: Primary HPV testing was performed in 592 persons (0.3%). Among the remaining 176,290 persons aged 30-65 years, cotesting was utilized in 72.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 71.9-72.3%), and cytology alone was utilized in 27.9% (95% CI 27.7-28.1%). Utilization of cytology alone varied by geographic region, ranging from 18.3% (95% CI 17.4-19.1%) to 49.0% (95% CI 48.4-49.6%). HPV genotyping test utilization among those with positive pooled HPV test results was 33.9%. In persons aged ≥30 years, variations in age-adjusted test results by region were observed for pooled HPV-positive test results and for HPV genotyping-positive test results. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical cancer screening strategy utilization and test results vary substantially by geographic region within a national screening program. Variation in utilization may be due to regional differences in screening test availability or the preferences of healthcare systems, screened persons and/or clinicians. Test result variations may reflect differing risk factors for HPV infections by geographic region.

Using electronic health records to evaluate the adherence to cervical cancer prevention guidelines: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The fight against cervical cancer requires effective screening together with optimal and on-time treatment along the care continuum. We examined the impact of cervical cancer testing and treatment guidelines on testing practices, and follow-up adherence to guidelines. METHODS: Data from Estonian electronic health records and healthcare provision claims for 50,702 women was used. The annual rates of PAP tests, HPV tests and colposcopies during two guideline periods (2nd version 2012-2014 vs 3rd version 2016-2019) were compared. To assess the adherence to guidelines, the subjects were classified as adherent, over- or undertested based on the timing of the appropriate follow-up test. RESULTS: The number of PAP tests decreased and HPV tests increased during the 3rd guideline period (p < 0.01). During the 3rd guideline period, among 21-29-year-old women, the adherence to guidelines ranged from 38.7% (44.4…50.1) for ASC-US to 73.4% (62.6…84.3) for HSIL and among 30-59-year-old from 49.0% (45.9…52.2) for ASC-US to 65.7% (58.8…72.7) for ASCH. The highest rate of undertested women was for ASC-US (21-29y: 25.7%; 30-59y: 21.9%). The rates of over-tested women remained below 12% for all cervical pathologies observed. There were 55.2% (95% CI 49.7…60.8) of 21-24-year-olds and 57.1% (95% CI 53.6…60.6) of 25-29-year-old women who received HPV test not adherent to guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlighted some shortcomings in guideline adherence, especially among women under 30. The insights gained from this study help to improve the quality of care and, thus, reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality.

Ethnic inequalities in coverage and use of women's cancer screening in Peru.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess ethnic inequalities in the coverage and utilization of cancer screening services among women in Peru. METHODS: Data from the 2017-2023 Demographic and Family Health Survey in Peru were analyzed to evaluate ethnic disparities in screening coverage for breast and cervical cancer, including clinical breast examination (CBE), Pap smear test (PST), and mammography. Measures such as the GINI coefficient and Slope Index of Inequality (SII) were used to quantify coverage and utilization disparities among ethnic groups. RESULTS: The study included 70,454 women aged 30-69. Among women aged 40-69, 48.31% underwent CBE, 84.06% received PST, and 41.69% underwent mammography. It was found inequalities in coverage for any cancer screening (GINI: 0.10), mammography (GINI: 0.21), CBE (GINI: 0.19), and PST (GINI: 0.06), in 25 Peruvian regions. These inequalities were more pronounced in regions with larger populations of Quechua, Aymara, and Afro-Peruvian women. In rural areas, Quechua or Aymara women (SII: -0.83, -0.95, and - 0.69, respectively) and Afro-Peruvian women (SII: -0.80, -0.92, and - 0.58, respectively) experienced heightened inequalities in the uptake of CBE, mammography, and PST, respectively. Like Quechua or Aymara women (SII: -0.50, SII: -0.52, and SII: -0.50, respectively) and Afro-Peruvian women (SII: -0.50, SII: -0.58, and SII: -0.44, respectively) with only a primary education. CONCLUSION: Ethnic inequalities affect breast and cervical cancer screening coverage across regions in Peru. In Quechua, Aymara, and Afro-Peruvian women the uptake of mammography, CBE, and PST was less frequently than their white or mestizo counterparts. These inequalities are attributed to sociodemographic conditions such as lower education levels and residence in rural or non-capital areas.

Cervical cancer screening by cytology and the burden of epithelial abnormalities in low resource settings: a tertiary-center 42-year study.

BACKGROUND: Cytological screening remains a high-impact practice, particularly in low-resource settings, for preventing cervical cancer. The examination of screening practices over time and the prevalence of epithelial abnormalities have not been investigated in longitudinal studies in one of the largest countries in the Middle East and Africa. METHODS: Routine healthcare data, between March 1981 and December 2022, were extracted from the database of the Early Cancer Detection Unit in a tertiary referral university hospital in the Greater Cairo Region, Egypt. Cervical smears were obtained using a standardized technique and sent to the cytopathology laboratory for conventional cytology examination by expert pathologists. The anonymous data were analyzed to determine the temporal trend of the number of women screened each year and the prevalence of epithelial abnormalities. RESULTS: Data included the results of satisfactory smears from 95120 women. The mean age (SD) of the women at the time of screening was 38.5 (10.5). None of the included women received an HPV vaccine. Abnormal epithelial cells were reported in 5174 women (5.44%). Of these epithelial abnormalities, the majority were low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in 4144 women (4.36%). Other abnormalities included atypical squamous cells in 378 women (0.40%), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in 226 women (0.24%), atypical glandular cells not otherwise specified in 184 women (0.19%), adenocarcinoma in 165 women (0.17%), squamous cell carcinoma in 70 women (0.07%), and atypical glandular cells favoring neoplasms in 7 women (0.01%). Women who were at an early age at first intercourse, those who opted for routine cervical cytology screening, and those who were older at screening were more likely to have epithelial abnormalities. The yearly number of screened women was positively associated with the detection of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (correlation coefficient [95% CI] = 0.84 [0.72, 0.91]) and negatively associated with the detection of squamous cell carcinoma (correlation coefficient [95% CI] = -0.55 [-0.73, -0.29]). CONCLUSIONS: The small number of annually screened Egyptian women and the temporal trend in epithelial abnormalities critically demonstrate the need for establishing and scaling up a structured population-based program to achieve the goal of eliminating cervical cancer.

The levels of women's awareness, experience, acceptability and preference for Vaginal Human Papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling in three provinces of China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The primary screening technique for precancerous lesions and cervical cancer is human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, and HPV self-sampling has been shown to be consistent with clinician sampling in terms of the accuracy of the results and may improve cervical cancer screening rates. The aim of this study was to understand the level of awareness, experience, acceptability, and preference for vaginal HPV self-sampling among women in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, China, and to analyze the possible influencing factors to determine the feasibility of implementing self-sampling. METHODS: Overall, 1793 women were included in the data analysis. A self-administered questionnaire was utilized. In addition to descriptive analysis, univariate and multivariate analyses were used to explore the associations between sociodemographic features, history of cervical cancer screening, and the level of awareness, experience, acceptability, and preference for HPV self-samples. RESULTS: The participants' level of awareness of and experience with HPV self-sampling were moderate. A total of 88.8% of participants rated the acceptability as "high", and self-sampling was preferred by 64.2% of them for cervical cancer screening. People aged 45 to 54 years showed a preference for both clinician sampling(OR = 1.762 (1.116-2.163)) and self-sampling (OR = 1.823 (1.233-2.697)). Those who had graduated from high school or above (OR = 2.305 (1.517-3.503), OR = 2.432 (1.570-3.768), OR = 3.258 (2.024-5.244)) preferred clinician-sampling, and those with a bachelor's degree or above (OR = 1.664 (1.042-2.657)) preferred self-sampling. Middle- and high-income individuals showed no preference for either sampling method (OR < 1). CONCLUSIONS: HPV self-sampling is widely accepted, but awareness, experience and preferences need to be improved. These results may help to adjust public health strategies for the early inclusion of HPV self-sampling as a screening method in national initiatives to prevent cervical cancer.

Association between HIV Serostatus and premalignant cervical lesions among women attending a cervical cancer screening clinic at a tertiary care facility in southwestern Uganda: a comparative cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Uganda has approximately 1.2 million people aged 15-64 years living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Previous studies have shown a higher prevalence of premalignant cervical lesions among HIV-positive women than among HIV-negative women. Additionally, HIV-infected women are more likely to have human papilloma virus (HPV) infection progress to cancer than women not infected with HIV. We determined the prevalence of premalignant cervical lesions and their association with HIV infection among women attending a cervical cancer screening clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) in southwestern Uganda. METHODS: We conducted a comparative cross-sectional study of 210 women aged 22-65 years living with HIV and 210 women not living with HIV who were systematically enrolled from March 2022 to May 2022. Participants were subjected to a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire to obtain their demographic and clinical data. Additionally, Papanicolaou smears were obtained for microscopy to observe premalignant cervical lesions. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the association between HIV status and premalignant cervical lesions. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of premalignant cervical lesions in the study population was 17% (n = 72; 95% C.I: 14.1-21.4), with 23% (n = 47; 95% C.I: 17.8-29.5) in women living with HIV and 12% (n = 25; 95% C.I: 8.2-17.1) in women not living with HIV (p < 0.003). The most common premalignant cervical lesions identified were low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) in both women living with HIV (74.5%; n = 35) and women not living with HIV (80%; n = 20). HIV infection was significantly associated with premalignant lesions (aOR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.27-4.42; p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Premalignant cervical lesions, particularly LSILs, were more common in HIV-positive women than in HIV-negative women, highlighting the need to strengthen the integration of cervical cancer prevention strategies into HIV care programs.

Time trend analysis and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on mammography and Papanicolaou test coverage in Brazilian state capitals.

BACKGROUND: Breast and cervical cancer are major public health issues globally. The reduction in incidence and mortality rates of these cancers is linked to effective prevention, early detection, and appropriate treatment measures. This study aims to analyze the temporal trends in the prevalence of mammography and Papanicolaou test coverage among women living in Brazilian state capitals between 2007 and 2023, and to compare the coverage of these tests before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. METHODS: A time series study was conducted using data from the Surveillance System for Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey from 2007 to 2023. The variables analyzed included mammography and Papanicolaou test coverage according to education level, age group, race/skin color, regions, and Brazilian capitals. The Prais-Winsten regression model was used to analyze the time series, and Student's t-test was employed to compare the prevalence rates between 2019 and 2023. RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2023, mammography coverage showed a stationary trend (71.1% in 2007 and 73.1% in 2023; p-value = 0.75) with a declining trend observed among women with 12 years or more of education (APC= -0.52% 95%CI -1.01%; -0.02%). Papanicolaou test coverage for all women aged between 25 and 64 exhibited a downward trend from 82% in 2007 to 76.8% in 2023 (APC= -0.45% 95%CI -0.76%; -0.13%). This decline was also noticed among those with 9 years or more of education; in the 25 to 44 age group; among women with white and mixed race; and in the Northeast, Central-West, Southeast, and South regions. When comparing coverage before and during Covid-19 pandemic, a reduction was noted for both tests. CONCLUSIONS: Over the years, there has been stability in mammography coverage and a decline in Papanicolaou test. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the number of these tests carried out among women, highlighting the importance of actions aimed at increasing coverage, especially among the most vulnerable groups.

Socioeconomic and cultural factors associated with pap smear screening among French women living in Réunion Island.

BACKGROUND: Réunion Island is a French overseas territory located in the southern Indian Ocean, with a challenging socioeconomic and multicultural context. Compared to mainland France, Réunion has an overincidence and overmortality of cervical cancer. In order to investigate these two issues, it is important to evaluate the barriers and potential levers to Pap smear screening among female inhabitants of the island. We aimed to identify the specific socio-demographic factors, cultural factors, and living conditions associated with Pap smear screening in Réunion, with a view to increasing uptake. METHODS: We conducted a Knowledge Attitude Behavior and Practices (KABP) survey on cervical cancer screening practices among women aged between 25 and 65 years old living in Réunion Island, selected using random digit dialing sampling. Data were collected using Computer Assistant Telephone Interviews. Weighted chi-squared tests and Student's t-tests were used to compare women who had up-to-date Pap smear screening with women who did not. Weighted logistic models were used to identify the factors associated with not having up-to-date screening. RESULTS: A total of 1000 women were included in the study. Of these, 88.1% had a Pap smear test during the previous three years. Factors independently associated with not being up to date were as follows: aged over 55 (AOR 2.3 [1.2-4.3]), no children (AOR 2.5 [1.4-4.3]), having free universal health coverage (AOR 1.7 [1.1-2.7]), an income per unit consumption lower than 1500€ per month (AOR 2.0 [1.1-3.7]), low health literacy (AOR 2.7 [1.7-4.1]), not consulting a general practitioner in the prior 12 months (AOR 3.6 [2.0-6.5]), and a BMI > 30 (AOR 2.6 [1.5-4.4]). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first large-scale survey focusing on recommended Pap smear screening uptake in Réunion Island. Although self-reported screening incidence was higher than in mainland France, national screening policies must take into account the island's diverse social and cultural characteristics (e.g., an ageing population, low health literacy), while implementing actions to fight against poverty and increase general access to healthcare.

General practitioners may improve cervical screening equality in France.

BACKGROUND: Vulnerable social groups have greater difficulty in accessing care and a lower quality of care. Health systems focused on primary care appear to be more effective, efficient and equitable. However, difficulties in accessing primary care are persisting. We focused on primary care screening for cervical cancer through Cervico-Uterine Smear (CUS), which has been shown to be effective in reducing disease incidence and mortality. In this study, we aimed to investigate the characteristics of women who undergo CUS according to the category of health professionals (general practitioners or gynaecologists) performing CUS and to analyse potential differences in access to care in terms of socioeconomic and geographical characteristics. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study based on data from the main health insurance schemes in France, allowing analysis of health care consumption according to socioeconomic levels and proximity to health care services. We included women aged 25 to 64 years in 2012 for whom CUS would be a relevant procedure (695,694). The sociodemographic and territorial indicators were age, geographical area deprivation, and the availability of gynaecological care. The analysis was performed using multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 202,271 (29%) patients underwent CUS; of whom 68% underwent CUS administered by gynaecologists and 28% were administered by general practitioners (GPs). However, inequalities in CUS screening rates were observed, with a decrease in the number of CUSs performed with increased age, a rural location, deprivation, and sparse health care provisions. Deprived people seemed less penalised by GPs. CONCLUSIONS: Involvement of General Practitioners may improve cervical screening equality in France. The organisation of health systems around primary care may allow a better access to care and to account for the specific needs of deprived populations.

What young women (aged 24-29 years) in Australia think about self-collection for cervical screening: a brief report.

Background In mid-2022 Australia's National Cervical Screening Program made self-collection of a vaginal sample an option for screening for young women or people with a cervix aged 25 to 29 years for the first time. This study explored what young women thought about, and wanted to know about, self-collection, and what their future screening preferences are. Methods Young women (n =21), aged 24-29years, were recruited through social media. Semi-structured interviews explored screening history, screening preferences and thoughts about self-collection. Data were analysed using an a priori coding framework informed by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Results Young women valued the addition of self-collection to the national cervical screening program, believing it to be less invasive and more convenient. However, they also valued the choice to opt for a clinician-collected specimen if preferred. Conclusions Self-collection is a valuable addition to the National Cervical Screening Program. This study suggests that continued efforts are needed to raise awareness of its availability, and improve understanding about its accuracy, the ease of collection, that you still need to engage with a primary healthcare service to access it and that you can still opt for a clinician-collected test.

Trends in high-risk human papillomavirus infection and cervical cytology of women in Karamay City, 2012-2021.

Background To describe the changes in cervical lesions prevalence and high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infections from 2012 to 2021, which have never been reported before, to provide direction for the effective implementation of cervical cancer prevention measures. Methods This retrospective study included women aged >25years who received either organised or opportunistic cervical HR-HPV screening from January 2012 to December 2021 in Karamay Central Hospital, Karamay, China. The patients were split into four groups according to age 25-35, 36-45, 46-55 and >55years, respectively. The Joinpoint Regression Program was used to analyse the trends of HR-HPV infection and the detection of cervical lesions. Results Data from 85,429 women revealed a decline in HR-HPV infection rates across all age groups from 2012 to 2021. Although HR-HPV infection rates decreased, cervical lesion detection rates increased, although the proportion of cervical cancer in these lesions declined, likely due to enhanced awareness and HPV vaccination in Karamay. From 2012 to 2021, the prevalence of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions was 9.70%, and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions was 5.85%. HR-HPV infections were highest in the ≥55years age group, with HPV52 (20.96%) being the most prevalent type. Conclusions In the past 10years, the prevalence of HR-HPV infection has shown a decreasing trend, whereas the detection prevalence of cervical lesions has shown an upward trend among women in Karamay City. Importantly, particular emphasis should be placed on cervical cancer screening in women aged >55years.

Are we ready for human papillomavirus testing? Assessment of patient knowledge of and preferences for cervical cancer screening in Ontario.

OBJECTIVE: To determine patient knowledge and preferences about primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Two family practice clinics (urban and suburban) and the social media platforms of 2 hospitals in the greater Toronto area between January and February 2023. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 413 Ontario residents aged 25 to 69 years, with a cervix, who qualified for Papanicolaou (Pap) screening and could communicate in English. METHODS: Electronic survey containing questions about knowledge of, and preferences for, cervical cancer screening, including types of screening and screening intervals, and about education related to HPV and screening intervals. MAIN FINDINGS: Of 441 potential participants, 426 were eligible and consented to participate in the study; ultimately 413 provided completed or partially completed surveys (96.9% response rate). Of those who completed a recent Pap test, 57.8% (208 of 360) knew of HPV testing. Initially, 27.8% thought HPV testing was better than Pap testing for cervical cancer screening. After learning HPV tests exist and have self-sampling options, most participants preferred HPV testing (self-sampling 46.3%, provider sampling 34.1%). Annual cervical cancer screening was preferred by 50.1% of participants despite knowing that, for most people, Pap tests should be conducted every 3 years (74.8%). After learning about HPV testing, participants were more likely to prefer 5-year screening intervals (43.8%); however, those in the family practice group were still more likely to prefer 3-year intervals compared with those in the social media group (P<.01). CONCLUSION: Participants in this study identified a preference for HPV testing and self-sampling options. Concerns were raised about extended screening intervals and the safety of self-collected samples that need to be addressed in public health education initiatives during rollout of new screening programs.

Low Levels of Lifetime Pap Test Receipt Among Vulnerable Guatemalans.

Low and middle-income countries, such as Guatemala, shoulder a disproportionate share of cervical cancer, a preventable disease in high income countries. Tangible obstacles, such as lack of access to health care, cultural differences, and insufficient infrastructure, and facilitators, such as being Ladino, married, and educated, have been identified in the literature related to cervical cancer prevention. The aim of this survey was to explore barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer prevention, comparing rural Indigenous and urban Ladino populations. We surveyed 139 women in two health clinics. Participants answered questions about demographic information, cervical cancer knowledge, and health care behaviors. We analyzed survey data with four bivariate models. Our results suggest vulnerable populations, such as rural Indigenous women who are single, illiterate, and lack education, face higher cervical cancer risk. Partnerships should be formed with health promotors and lay midwives to educate and encourage vulnerable populations to prevent cervical cancer.

The association between affordable care act implementation and the prevalence of women having ever received a Pap smear.

BACKGROUND: To assess if implementation of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was associated with changes in the prevalence of women having ever received a pap smear. METHODS: This study utilised the publicly available Centre for Disease Control National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) data set. This was a serial cross-sectional study. The comparison groups were defined as women who received cancer screening and prevention interventions prior to full implementation of the ACA (2011-2013) and post full implementation (2017-2019). The primary outcome was self-reporting receipt of a Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. Secondary outcomes included HPV vaccination and mammogram rates. Anonymized patient information was collected from the nationally representative dataset, and analyses were performed utilising STATA 18. RESULTS: The two study cohorts obtained from the NSFG included women who responded in 2011-2013 (n = 5601), deemed to be 'Pre-ACA implementation' (Pre ACA), and those who responded in 2017-2019 (n = 6141) 'Post-ACA implementation' (Post ACA). The proportion of women who were 21 years and older and ever had a Pap smear in the Pre ACA group (96.0%) was higher than that of the Post ACA group (94.1%) (OR 0.66 (0.49-0.91)). In contrast, HPV vaccination rates rose, and mammogram rates remained stable in the Post ACA period. CONCLUSION: A decrease in proportion of women ever having had a Pap smear despite implementation of health policies to increase access to preventive measures suggests further interventions to improve access to cervical cancer screening are warranted.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was implemented in 2014, aimed to reform health care access. This serial cross-sectional study demonstrated that the number of women age 21 or older who had ever received a pap smear fell after the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Prevalence of cervical dysplastic lesions in cervical smears from Baghdad city: a single centre study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of demographic and clinical features of patients with clinicopathological markers in cases of abnormal Pap smear. METHODS: The retrospective study was conducted from July 2020 to June 2021 at Al-Elwiya Maternity Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, and comprised data from January 2019 to June 2020 of women who underwent Pap-smear. Data was retrieved for patients' age, marital status, smoking status, clinical symptoms at presentation, findings of clinical and cytological examinations, as well as follow-up or human papillomavirus testing data where applicable. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. RESULTS: Of the 560 women with mean age 40.42±10.211 years, 26(4.6%) were attending the hospital for routine check-ups/screening, and 12(2.1%) for follow-up screening with previous abnormal Pap-tests, while the rest had been referred for medical consultation. The most common diagnosis was negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy 403(72%) Cervical epithelial abnormalities were seen in 136(24.3%) cases, and, of them, 12(8.8%) returned for follow-up. Epithelial abnormalities had a significant association with age, clinical presentation, and clinical examination results (p<0.05), while it had a non-significant relation with marital and smoking statuses (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of subjects were referred cases, with routine cervical screening being <5%. Increasing public awareness about the importance of cervical screening and follow-up is essential.

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on the Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer and Precursor Lesions-A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Background and Objectives: Our aim was to perform a retrospective analysis of the volume of cervical screening tests, the number of patients treated with an excision method, and the incidence of invasive and non-invasive cervical during a pandemic and pre-pandemic period of 24 months. Materials and Methods: The study compared 404 patients who underwent cervical cone biopsy for cervical cancer. The study examined patients' specimens based on histopathological characteristics and categorized cervical lesions based on pap smear. Results: There was a statistically significant age difference between the two study periods. The mean difference was 32 years before the pandemic and 35 years during the pandemic (p-value > 0.05). The biggest patient loss ratio identified by age group was in the 50-59-year group, with a 14.53% loss in the pre-pandemic period and a 9.1% loss in the pandemic period. In the pandemic period, patients from rural areas presented in the clinical trial with a lower rate of 39.52% (83 patients) vs. 60.47% (127 patients) in urban areas. A higher percentage of patients experiencing cervicorrhagia as a clinical manifestation in the pandemic period vs. the pre-pandemic period, with an increase in more severe lesions in the pandemic period, had a statistical significance of 8% more newly diagnosed compared to the pre-pandemic period. Conclusions: The addressability of the patients during the COVID period was not affected in a drastic way in our study. We encountered a decrease in appointments in the age group of 50-59 years and a decrease in patients with rural residence. In our study, we found an increase in cervical bleeding as a reason for consultation in the pandemic period with a higher lesion degree, both on a pap smear and on a cervical biopsy.

Cervical Cancer Screening: A Review.

Importance: Each year in the US, approximately 100 000 people are treated for cervical precancer, 14 000 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 4000 die of cervical cancer. Observations: Essentially all cervical cancers worldwide are caused by persistent infections with one of 13 carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes: 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, and 68. HPV vaccination at ages 9 through 12 years will likely prevent more than 90% of cervical precancers and cancers. In people with a cervix aged 21 through 65 years, cervical cancer is prevented by screening for and treating cervical precancer, defined as high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions of the cervix. High-grade lesions can progress to cervical cancer if not treated. Cervicovaginal HPV testing is 90% sensitive for detecting precancer. In the general population, the risk of precancer is less than 0.15% over 5 years following a negative HPV test result. Among people with a positive HPV test result, a combination of HPV genotyping and cervical cytology (Papanicolaou testing) can identify the risk of precancer. For people with current precancer risks of less than 4%, repeat HPV testing is recommended in 1, 3, or 5 years depending on 5-year precancer risk. For people with current precancer risks of 4% through 24%, such as those with low-grade cytology test results (atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance [ASC-US] or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion [LSIL]) and a positive HPV test of unknown duration, colposcopy is recommended. For patients with precancer risks of less than 25% (eg, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 [CIN1] or histologic LSIL), treatment-related adverse effects, including possible association with preterm labor, can be reduced by repeating colposcopy to monitor for precancer and avoiding excisional treatment. For patients with current precancer risks of 25% through 59% (eg, high-grade cytology results of ASC cannot exclude high-grade lesion [ASC-H] or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion [HSIL] with positive HPV test results), management consists of colposcopy with biopsy or excisional treatment. For those with current precancer risks of 60% or more, such as patients with HPV-16-positive HSIL, proceeding directly to excisional treatment is preferred, but performing a colposcopy first to confirm the need for excisional treatment is acceptable. Clinical decision support tools can facilitate correct management. Conclusions and Relevance: Approximately 100 000 people are treated for cervical precancer each year in the US to prevent cervical cancer. People with a cervix should be screened with HPV testing, and if HPV-positive, genotyping and cytology testing should be performed to assess the risk of cervical precancer and determine the need for colposcopy or treatment. HPV vaccination in adolescence will likely prevent more than 90% of cervical precancers and cancers.

Audit of laboratory sensitivity of human papillomavirus and cytology testing in a cervical screening program.

The globally recommended public health policy for cervical screening is primary human papillomavirus (HPV) screening with cytology triaging of positives. To ensure optimal quality of laboratory services we have conducted regular audits of cervical smears taken before cervical cancer or cancer in situ (CIN3+) within an HPV-based screening program. The central cervical screening laboratory of Stockholm, Sweden, identified cases of CIN3+ who had had a previous cervical screening test up to 3 years before and randomly selected 300 cervical liquid-based cytology (LBC) samples for auditing. HPV testing with Roche Cobas was performed either at screening or with biobanked samples. HPV negative samples and subsequent biopsies were retrieved and tested with modified general primer HPV PCR and, if still HPV-negative, the LBCs and biopsies were whole genome sequenced. The Cobas 4800 detected HPV in 1020/1052 (97.0%) LBC samples taken before CIN3+. Further analyses found HPV in 28 samples, with nine of those containing HPV types not targeted by the Cobas 4800 test. There were 4 specimens (4/1052, 0.4%) where no HPV was detected. By comparison, the proportion of CIN3+ cases that were positive in a previous cytology were 91.6%. We find that the routine HPV screening test had a sensitivity in the real-life screening program of 97.0%. Regular laboratory audits of cervical samples taken before CIN3+ can be readily performed within a real-life screening program and provide assurance that the laboratory of the real-life program has the expected performance.