Prevalence of type-specific HPV infection in Uruguay.

The aim of this work was to describe the prevalence of type-specific Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in women attending organized cervical cancer screening program in Uruguay. Nine hundred sixty-five liquid cervical cell samples obtained after collection of cervical smears for cytology were assessed for HPV DNA using the Papillocheck system (Greiner BioOne). The overall prevalence of High-Risk (HR) HPV infections was 20.8% and increased from 16.5% in women with normal cytology to 93.3% in HSIL. Prevalence of HPV 16 and/or 18 was 6.3% and HPV 16 was the most prevalent genotype in normal cytology (3.6%). The five most prevalent genotypes were HPV 16, 31, 51, 56, and 39. The overall prevalence peaked below age 30. This study provides essential baseline information at national level on type-specific HPV prevalence in Uruguay before the introduction of HPV vaccination. It documents the current prevalence of each of the oncogenic genotypes in a population attending cervical cancer screening program, suggesting that at least 64.7% of high risk lesions are potentially preventable by available HPV vaccines, and possibly augmentable if cross-protection against non-vaccine HPV types 31, 33, and 45 is confirmed.

[Educational methods in the prevention of smoking, among students of the Department of Herault, France]. / Métodos educativos en la prevención del tabaquismo, en escolares del Departamento del Herault, Francia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of two educational strategies to prevent tobacco addiction in schoolchildren living in Herault, France. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A study was conducted to deliver an intervention and make a concurrent comparison, among elementary school, fifth-grade students, during school years 1992 to 1995, in Herault Department, Montpellier, France. Three observation groups were included: Group 1 was subject to a cross-sectional educational intervention; Group 2 was only subject to a single health activity on World Day Against Smoking; and Group 3 or control was not subject to any intervention. RESULTS: The prognostic role of peers and the family setting on tobacco consumption was confirmed; after three years, the Group subject to the sustained cross-sectional intervention showed a prevalence of smokers significantly lower than that of the other two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Even though tobacco consumption seems to begin earlier in boys than in girls, in the former the prevalence increases from 0.7 to 7% after three years. Preventive educational interventions should be maintained and reinforced to be effective on the initiation and cessation of tobacco smoking among children.

Quality assurance in follow-up and initial treatment for screening mammography programs in 22 countries.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the quality assurance activities related to follow-up evaluation of abnormal screening mammograms and subsequent initial treatment of women determined to have breast cancer for the screening programs represented in the International Breast Cancer Screening Network (IBSN). DESIGN: Analysis of data from a survey that included questions about screening program policies, standards, and procedures for follow-up of women with abnormal mammograms, as well as the data and measures that programs use to assess the adequacy of follow-up and initial treatment. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: IBSN representatives in 23 countries completed a comprehensive questionnaire between May and December 1998. RESULTS: Two-thirds of IBSN countries reported that they have a written policy or guidelines for follow-up of an abnormal mammogram; 64% require accreditation of the cytology or pathology laboratories that analyze breast specimens, or subject pathology laboratories to external audits. Of the 22 activities and measures related to quality of follow-up and initial treatment that we examined, all countries had in place at least half of them, although countries were more likely to have implemented activities and measures related to data collection and evaluation than to processes of care. CONCLUSIONS: Population-based screening mammography programs cannot achieve the goal of reducing breast cancer mortality if women with abnormal mammograms do not receive appropriate, timely follow-up and initial treatment. This study shows that IBSN countries vary in their implementation of procedures and measures to assure the quality of follow-up and initial treatment for women with abnormal screening mammograms. There is more emphasis on collecting and evaluating data than establishing mechanisms to ensure that the processes of care for follow-up and initial treatment are of high quality.

Métodos educativos en la prevención del tabaquismo, en escolares del Departamento del Herault, Francia / x

Objetivo. Evaluar la eficacia de dos estrategias educativas para la prevención del tabaquismo en jóvenes de edad escolar. Material y métodos. Estudio de intervención, de comparación concurrente, con alumnos del quinto grado de primaria durante los cursos de 1992 a 1995, efectuado en el Departamento del Herault, Montpellier, Francia. Se incluyeron tres grupos de observación: grupo I, sometido durante el año escolar a un programa educativo transversal; grupo II, sometido el "Día Mundial sin Fumar" a una acción puntual, y el grupo III, testigo, no sometido a intervención, cuyos resultados se compararon con ji cuadrado y se hizo regresión logística. Resultados. Se confirma el papel pronóstico de sus iguales y del entorno familiar sobre el consumo de tabaco. Transcurridos tres años, el grupo sometido a la intervención transversal sostenida muestra una prevalencia de fumadores significativamente inferior a la de los otros dos grupos. Conclusiones. Aunque el consumo de tabaco parece iniciar más tardíamente en las niñas que en los niños, en este estudio la prevalencia aumenta al cabo de tres años, de 0.7 a 7 por ciento. Deben mantenerse y reforzarse en tiempo y lugar las acciones educativas de prevención para que tengan influencia y eficacia en la iniciación y disminución del consumo de tabaco en los niños.

Abstract Objective. To evaluate the efficacy of two educational strategies to prevent tobacco addiction in schoolchildren living in Herault, France. Material and Methods. A study was conducted to deliver an intervention and make a concurrent comparison, among elementary school, fifth-grade students, during school years 1992 to 1995, in Herault Department, Montpellier, France. Three observation groups were included: Group 1 was subject to a cross-sectional educational intervention; Group 2 was only subject to a single health activity on World Day Against Smoking; and Group 3 or control was not subject to any intervention. Results. The prognostic role of peers and the family setting on tobacco consumption was confirmed; after three years, the Group subject to the sustained cross-sectional intervention showed a prevalence of smokers significantly lower than that of the other two groups. Conclusions. Even though tobacco consumption seems to begin earlier in boys than in girls, in the former the prevalence increases from 0.7 to 7 percent after three years. Preventive educational interventions should be maintained and reinforced to be effective on the initiation and cessation of tobacco smoking among children.