title: Physician attitudes toward the Bethesda System of reporting cervical cytology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this investigation was to determine family physicians' and gynecologists' attitudes toward and understanding of the Bethesda System, a new cervical cytology classification and reporting system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 159 family physicians and gynecologists completed a questionnaire that assessed attitudes, knowledge, and opinions about the Bethesda System.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with family physicians, gynecologists thought the Bethesda System was more likely to cause patient management problems (p < 0.001) and preferred not to combine viral cytologic effects with mild dysplasia when reporting a low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (p < 0.004). However, increased understanding of the system by physicians correlated with greater preference for the Bethesda System (p < 0.02). In this exploratory study, family physicians, rather than gynecologists, were more inclined to use the Bethesda System and perceived it as a means to reduce clinical evaluation and patient management problems. Gynecologists reported a fuller understanding of the Bethesda System, yet they were more critical of the cytology categorizations. Within each specialty, greater understanding of the Bethesda System led to its wider acceptance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912-3500.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Walaitis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000145:classification*