Cervical smears: comparison of knowledge and practice of a general practice sample with a high-risk group.
Successful cervical screening programmes depend on the participation of an informed target population. A national cervical screening programme is shortly to be introduced in the Republic of Ireland. We compare the knowledge, attitudes and practice of 395 Irish urban women with 323 high-risk women, genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic attenders. There was little difference in knowledge between the 2 groups. Fifty-five per cent of the general practice (GP) sample and 45% of the GUM sample correctly identified the purpose of a smear. Eighty-three per cent of both groups had had at least one smear but only 59% of the high-risk group had had a smear before attending the GUM clinic. Both groups expressed a preference for a female provider. Socio-economic grouping is the strongest predictor of knowledge and uptake of cervical smears and high-risk women were less likely to have opportunistic cervical smears. Information programmes to encourage participation in screening programmes must build on pre-existing knowledge and focus on the relevance and acceptability of the test.
Department of General Practice, University College Dublin, Coombe Healthcare Centre, Dolphin's Barn Street, Dublin 8, Ireland. ailis@icgp.ie
A
A
ní Riain
M
M
Stewart
D
D
Phelan
G
G
Bury
F
F
Mulcahy
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*