[Following-up females having an abnormal Pap smear in Colombia]

Abstract

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.

Materials and 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.

Discussion: 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.