Coverage was even lower in some Southern states, where cervical cancer rates were highest and Pap smear testing prevalence the lowest.
Even so, annual Pap smear testing is still common because many women are reluctant to give up frequent screening for cervical cancer.
"Cervical cancer is a highly curable disease -- widespread Pap smear testing detects the cancers early -- and American doctors have viewed radical trachelectomy as playing with fire," Dr. Roman said.
But researchers at Keele University said that on average, 20% of the 3,121 new cases diagnosed each year were in women aged 65 and over – the age at which the screening programme, commonly known as smear testing, currently ends.
To explore personal influencing factors that contribute to Papanicolaou (Pap smear) testing in African American women who do (routine-use group) and do not (non-routine-use group) obtain routine testing.
While pap smear testing is an effective screening mechanism, the real benefit comes from follow-up of abnormal results.
Therefore, it is also used in the case of female cancer screenings such as mammography and smear testing [22].
Cervical cancer remains a major cause of death among women in the U.S. Fortunately, the rate of cervical cancer has decreased, largely due to screening via regular Papanicolaou (pap) smear testing.
Screening for cervical cancer with pap smear testing has been extended to include HPV testing, resulting in better prevention of invasive cervical cancer by diagnosing early abnormalities that lead to the cancer.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide, incidence and mortality are, however, decreasing due to the implementation of Cervical Cancer Screening Programmes by cytological smear testing [1].
Our sample is representative of women presenting for smear testing.
