Video

What Kids Wear Could Determine How Much Exercise They Get

Few College Students Have Received the H1N1 Vaccine

Night Lights Could Lead to Depression

Cervarix Has Been Approved by the FDA

The FDA Is Studying the Effects of Lasik Surgery

Painkillers Can Dull the Effects of Childhood Vaccines

Childbirth May Becoming More Complicated

Botox Sponges Might Help Nose Allergies

The FDA Advises on How to Properly Dispose of Medicine

A French Study Shows Cell Phones Do Not Affect Humans

MRIs May Lead to More Back Surgery

Your More Likely to Wash Your Hands If Someone's Watching

Co-Sleeping Is a Leading Cause of SIDS

Night Shifts Don't Have a Major Effect On Surgeons

Exercise May Counter Fatigue from Chemotherapy

Better Pap Smear Follow-Up Needed Among Lower-Income Women

Posted on 08/20/2009, 14:00
By -- Robert Preidt

Disparities seen in screening rates, appropriate care in Canadian study

THURSDAY, Aug. 20 (HealthDay News) -- In the Canadian province of Ontario, fewer than half of women with abnormal Pap tests receive proper follow-up care and low-income women are less likely to be screened for cervical cancer than high-income women, a new study has found.

"Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, yet in Ontario more than 1 million women have not been screened, and a disproportionate number of these women are living in lower-income communities," principal investigator Dr. Arlene Bierman, a physician at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, said in a news release from the hospital.

She and her colleagues found that less than 50 percent of women who had a Pap test that detected a low-grade abnormality received appropriate follow-up care within the recommended time period, including either a repeat test or a medical procedure called a colposcopy, which examines a woman's cervix and vagina. The low rate of follow-up in these women is cause for concern because they tend to be at greatest risk for eventually developing cervical cancer, the study authors noted.

The study also found that the overall rate of cervical cancer screening in Ontario was 69 percent, with screening rates of 61 percent for low-income women and 75 percent for high-income women.

"We need to make special efforts to reach women who are screened, but do not receive the necessary follow-up and may eventually fall through the cracks. To improve surveillance and treatment, we need a system that ensures all abnormal Pap tests are followed-up so that Ontario women can receive the best care possible," Bierman said in the news release.

The Project for an Ontario Women's Health Evidence-Based Report (POWER) study was a joint effort by St. Michael's Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about Pap tests.

SOURCE: St. Michael's Hospital, news release, Aug. 20, 2009

More news in Colon Cancer...

BigHealthTree.com Disclaimer

Bighealthtree.com Does Not Provide Medical Advice. This site, including the above information, is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or health advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified health or medical professional before starting any new treatment, changing existing treatment, or altering your current exercise and/or diet program. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911 (or the emergency services in your area) or your doctor immediately.

Rating: 2.9 / 5 (64 votes)