The effect of the family physician on improving follow-up after an abnormal PAP smear.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the family physician on improving compliance with follow-up of abnormal smears in cervical cancer screening.


METHODS
Observational study.


METHODS
Two Regional Health Authority districts in the east of The Netherlands.


METHODS
Family practices with a national call system for cervical cancer screening and family practices with a family-practice-based call system. In a number of practices the family physicians had introduced a fail-safe system for follow-up.


METHODS
Follow-up of women who participated in the first screening round and in whom a cytological abnormality had been diagnosed in the first smear. Criteria for adequate follow-up were defined with regard to the severity of the cytological abnormality.


RESULTS
The overall compliance with follow-up in the study-group was 88%. The study showed a strong relationship between involvement of the family physician and compliance with follow-up. The compliance in practices that had a fail-safe system for follow-up was 93% compared to 82% in the practices without a fail-safe system. The highest follow-up was found in practices involved in the family-practice-based system.
Palm
B T
BT
Department of Pathology, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Kant
A C
AC
Visser
E A
EA
Vooijs
G P
GP
van den Bosch
W J
WJ
van Weel
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000592:standards*; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017010:Reminder Systems; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears