[Assessment of cervical cancer screening in the Health Service of Valdivia, Chile].
BACKGROUND
One of the best Public Health achievements in Chile has been the coverage of the program for detection and treatment or cervical cancer.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the results of the Cervical Cancer Screening Program in Valdivia Health Service (Southern Chile) between 1993 and 2003.


METHODS
Retrospective review of the number of women in whom a Papanicolau smear was obtained in the last three years. The incidence of the disease was calculated using pathological diagnoses of precursor or invasive lesions. Mortality for cervical cancer was calculated using data from death certificates.


RESULTS
During 2003, 79% of women age 25 to 64 years, and 77% of women aged 35 to 63 years (considered the highest risk group) were screened. We confirmed that the number of precursor lesions detected were increased along with the increasing screening coverage. The diagnosis of carcinoma in situ increased almost three times when compared with 1990 figures. Likewise, the diagnosis of early invasive cervical cancer behaved similarly. Mortality by cervical cancer also experienced a decrease, reaching 4.6 per 100.000 women over 15 years old in the Health Service of Valdivia.


CONCLUSIONS
The sustained increase in cervical cancer screening coverage has had a favorable impact in the morbidity and mortality caused by the disease.
Guzmán
Sergio
S
Servicio de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Hospital Clínico Regional de Valdivia, Chile. sguzman@uach.cl
Salas
Paola
P
Puente
Raúl
R
Hott
Humberto
H
Israel
Eduardo
E
Guzmán
René
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*