title: Visual inspection with acetic acid in cervical cancer screening.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) is an attractive screening method for early-phase cervical cancer in underdeveloped countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study addressed the validity of VIA in cervical cancer screening by comparing results with colposcopy findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 350 women screened at the Ege University clinic using the Papanicolaou test, colposcopy and VIA were used additionally to screen 50 of these women. Colposcopy, VIA, and Papanicolaou test results were compared. A sociodemographic data questionnaire and a VIA questionnaire were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When VIA findings were compared with Papanicolaou test findings, the sensitivity of VIA was 82.14%, specificity was 50.00%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 67.64%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 68.75%. When the method of VIA was compared with colposcopy, VIA had a sensitivity of 85.29%, specificity of 68.75%, PPV of 85.29%, and NPV of 68.75%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the screening of cervical cancer, the sensitivity of VIA was high, whereas the corresponding specificity was only at an acceptable level. The PPV and NPV of VIA were found to be high. In other words, the validity of VIA during early-phase screening is high in terms of sensitivity and acceptable for specificity and predictive values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visual inspection with acetic acid is an acceptable screening method for cervical cancer and seems to be an efficient and cost-effective method to detect high-level dysplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Nursing, Ege University, Bornova-Izmir, Turkey. melekardahan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Melek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ardahan
authors.forename: Ayla Bayik
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Temel
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid; D000328:Adult; D003127:Colposcopy; D005260:Female; D058869:Gynecological Examination / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019342:Acetic Acid