title: Cervical cytology screening practices among obstetrician-gynecologists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the current cervical cytology screening practices of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Fellows, to establish a baseline for tracking future changes in practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of ACOG Fellows (n = 599) and to a group of Fellows who have regularly participated in past ACOG surveys (n = 409). The questionnaires asked about current cytology screening and evaluation practices and presented clinical practice vignettes with additional questions. Descriptive statistical methods were used to evaluate the responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Questionnaires were returned by 651 physicians (64.6%); 624 were complete. More than 94% of the respondents start cytology testing at age 18 years. Almost three fourths (74.2%) continue screening indefinitely. More than 80% use a liquid-based method of collection. Almost two thirds (65.1%) order human papillomavirus testing occasionally, usually (81.9%) for reports of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS). Most Fellows in the sample perform colposcopy for an ASCUS result. Reports of atypical glandular cells resulted in variable approaches to further evaluation. Patient age and history were important variables for all test reports. Legal concerns were mentioned as important determinants of practice patterns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample of ACOG Fellows, most perform cervical cytology and evaluate abnormal results in accord with guidelines in place before the recommended changes in screening and evaluation were published in 2003.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tufts University Medical School/New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. knoller@tufts-nemc.org
authors.forename: Kenneth L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Noller
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bettes
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zinberg
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schulkin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003127:Colposcopy; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009774:Obstetrics; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*