title: Increasing Pap smear rates at an urban Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service through translational research and continuous quality improvement.
abstract: This article describes translational research (TR) and continuous quality improvement (CQI) processes used to identify and address barriers and facilitators to Pap smear screening within an urban Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS). Rapid Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were conducted, informed by client surveys, a data collection tool, focus groups and internal research. There was a statistically significant increase in Pap smear numbers during PDSA cycles, continuing at 10 months follow up. The use of TR with CQI appears to be an effective and acceptable way to affect Pap smear screening. Community and service collaboration should be at the core of research in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health settings. This model is transferrable to other settings and other health issues.
authors.forename: Melanie S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Dorrington
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herceg
authors.forename: Kirsty
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tongs
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bookallil
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D065006:Papanicolaou Test / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014505:Urban Population; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control