title: The role of general practitioners in the continued success of the National Cervical Screening Program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As the gateway to healthcare for Australian women, general practitioners (GPs) are critical to the success of the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP). Despite an enviable record - halving the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer - in 2010-2011 more than 2.7 million women did not comply with the recommended 2-yearly screening interval.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  General practice strategies are presented to assist GPs in encouraging all women, in particular, high-risk and vulnerable women, to participate in cervical screening.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GPs play a crucial part in addressing the demographic, psychosocial and healthcare barriers that prevent women's participation in cervical screening. Encouraging uptake of the human papillomavirus vaccine and educating all patients on the importance of continued participation in cervical screening is essential for further decreasing the prevalence of this disease through early detection and treatment of cervical abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: BExSc, MSc, PhD candidate, Women's Health Clinical Care Unit, WA Cervical Cancer Prevention Program, Perth, WA.
authors.forename: Aime
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Munro
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pavicic
authors.forename: Yee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Westoby
authors.forename: Nerida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Steel
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Semmens
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Leary
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010819:Physician's Role; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines