Cervical cancer screening in Primay Health Care
OBJECTIVES
To improve the reproductive health of Nicaraguan women through the implementation of an adequate, integrated pilot programme for cervical cancer screening at 3 levels (population, health care centre, district hospital).
METHODS
Population-based KAP study at start and end of project
Set up of screening- and treatment programme
Monitoring of attendance rate and follow-up rate
Comparison between cytology and visual inspection as screening tests
ACTIVITIES
Training of community health workers
Invitation of target population
Screening, colposcopy and treatment of precancerous lesions
Follow-up of women treated
Dissemination of results
RESULTS
At the end of the intervention, 63% of women of the target population had attended the screening programme, compared to 42.5% prior to the intervention
Of patients with abnormal screening tests, 80% attended the colposcopy clinic
Of women with high-grade lesions, 91% were treated and more than 90% attended the follow-up visits
Results were dissimated during the national workshops
Results of the KAP study and the peformance of the screening tests were published in international journals: Trop Med Int Health, 2002 Nov;7(11):935-41 and Trop Med Int Health, 2003 Aug;8(8):704-9.
Funding agencies
VLIR
Partners
Clara Gonzalez, Alvaro Garcia (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua Rosa Elena Bello, Servicios Medicos Comunales, San Juan del Sur)
Period
January 06, 2000 - May 31, 2005
Project status
Project closed