Abstract

MULLER, Deise Karine; DIAS-DA-COSTA, Juvenal Soares; LUZ, Anna Maria Hecker  and  OLINTO, Maria Teresa Anselmo. Coverage of Pap smear tests in the city of São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Cad. Saúde Pública [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.11, pp. 2511-2520. ISSN 0102-311X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-311X2008001100006.

This cross-sectional study aimed to verify the coverage of Pap smear tests and associated factors in a cluster sample of women 20 to 60 years of age in the city of São Leopoldo, Rio Grande Sul State, Brazil, in 2003. Two outcomes were analyzed: Pap smear in the previous three years and Pap smear never performed. Among 867 women, 741 (85.5%; 95%CI: 83.1-87.8) had a Pap smear in the previous three years, 60 (6.9%; 95%CI: 5.2-8.6) were late with the test, and 66 (7.6%; 95%CI: 5.8-9.4) had never done a Pap smear. Poisson regression showed significant association with: income, age, skin color, and marital status. Although coverage was high, risk factors for uterine cervical cancer were not associated with performing the test.

Keywords : Vaginal Smears; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Health Services Coverage.