[Following-up females having an abnormal Pap smear in Colombia].
OBJECTIVE
Evaluating the opportunity and access to diagnosis and treatment for females having had an abnormal Pap smear (high-grade epithelial lesion and cervical cancer) in Colombia from June 2005 to June 2006.


METHODS
This was a retrospective appraisal using a semi-closed survey of females having had an abnormal Pap smear with high squamous intraepithelial lesions or cervical cancer living in four Colombian departments. These areas were conveniently selected according to their different mortality rates. A descriptive analysis was made and the departments differences compared.


RESULTS
It was found that 27 % of females having high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or cervical cancer had no access to any of the diagnostic or therapeutic services. Health service administration problems and clinical and cultural ones affecting the females in the study could explain such results.


CONCLUSIONS
Follow-up care after abnormal cytology was very poor and could explain the lack of cervical cancer screening impact in Colombia and in most Latin-American countries.
Wiesner
Carolina
C
Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Bogotá, Colombia.
Cendales
Ricardo
R
Murillo
Raúl
R
Piñeros
Marion
M
Tovar
Sandra
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003127:Colposcopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003469:Culture; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012494:Sampling Studies; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy