Comparison of a community outreach service with opportunity screening for cervical cancer using Pap smears

Huan Cheng Chang, Hui Yin Hsiung, Shu I. Chen, Amy Ming Fang Yen, Tony Hsiu Hsi Chen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We sought to compare the take-up of cervical screening with Pap smears in a new outreach and pre-existing hospital-based setting (1) to assess the extent to which the two means of provision would overlap; (2) to establish how the utilization rate is influenced by demographic features and geographical distance from the point of provision; and (3) to access whether an outreach service would lead to increased utilization. We used a pre-test-post-test design and used multiple linear regression to assess the effect an outreach service has on utilization after adjusting for participants age, education and martial status. We found that the outreach service independently provided screening to 89 of eligible women and that coverage was inversely associated with distance from the pre-existing hospital provision. After controlling for age, education and martial status, there was a statistically significant increase (53; 95 CI: 25, 80) in utilization. There was little overlap between the outreach and hospital-based cervical screening services so that overall accessibility was enhanced, particularly for the elderly, widowed and less well educated. The outreach service also reduced inequalities due to geography.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)165-172
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Public Health
Volume29
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Accessibility
  • Cervical cancer screening
  • Preventive service utilization

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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