Impact of intervention on the number of cervical cancer screens: A randomized controlled study [poster]

Background: Despite the relative ease of prevention, cervical cancer remains a global women’s health issue responsible for more than 270 000 deaths annually. The mortality rate in Latvia (8.2/100 000) is one of the highest among the EU countries. Increasing the uptake of screening is a way of controlling this disease through early diagnosis. Latvian cervical cancer screening coverage rate in 2014 and 2016 were 27.8% and 32.4%, with the lowest rates in Riga region. The minimum quality criterion for cervical cancer screening coverage to be fulfilled by GPs in Latvia is 36%.

Research question: To assess the effectiveness of telephone intervention as a strategy to increase the uptake of Pap smears in the framework of the national cervical cancer screening programme.

Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted, including 160 randomly selected women registered in two GP practices—one in Riga and one outside Riga. Cervical cancer screening non-participants were divided into control and intervention groups. Depending on the group, participants were invited to respond to the questionnaire at the start of the study or after four months. The intervention aimed to raise awareness of benefits of cytological screening and encourage women to reduce personal risk of developing cervical cancer. Statistical significance between group differences was assessed by Fisher’s test.

Results: We found that women randomized in both GP practices in intervention group performed cervical cancer screening more often than women who did not participate in the telephone survey (30.6% (n = 15) versus 7.4% (n = 4), P = 0.004, in a family practice in Riga and 32.1% (n = 17) versus 5.9% (n = 3), P = 0.001, in a family practice outside Riga).

Conclusion: Telephone intervention improves compliance to cervical cancer screening programme, but still within four months after intervention does not reach the minimum screening coverage rates indicated in Latvian GP quality evaluation criteria.