Screening & Prevention

Welcome

You have entered the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) information area on how funding occurs for many Family Planning agencies nationwide. Family Planning agencies are crucial to help assure access for women most in need of cervical cancer screening. Many of the women going to these family planning agencies tend to have fallen through the insurance cracks and do not have private insurance and do not qualify for state medicaid programs. In many instances, the women at these clinics are young, sexually active or have not had a Pap Test for several years.

 

Assuring access for these women, along with quality cervical screening is essential. This is the population where a significant portion of cervical cancer disease may be diagnosed. This is also the population that would most benefit from new enhanced cervical cancer probes, specimen preparation and screening technologies. How are these agencies, with their limited levels of funding, going to be able to reimburse at realistic levels for the traditional QUALITY Pap Test and potential new technologies?

 

Click here for information regarding "The Uninsured and Their Access to Healthcare."

 

Single Visit Cervical Cancer Prevention Program Offered on Sundays Through an Inner City Church: A Pilot Project.

 

Christine H. Holschneider, MD; Juan C. Felix, MD; Wendy Satmary, MD; Michael T. Johnson, MD; Lynn Sandweiss, MS; Yumary Ruiz, RN; Darryl Ragoff, RN; F. J. Montz, MD, KM; UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; USC, Los Angeles, CA; UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

 

Objective: A single visit cervical cancer prevention program was implemented on Sundays at an inner city church. This study evaluated the feasibility of this program integrating screening, diagnosis, treatment and health education in the familiar environment of the community church.

 

Methods: Eligible women were over the age of 18, not pregnant and did not have a Pap smear in the preceding year. At study entry, participants provided information on personal demographics and health, as well as knowledge regarding cervical cancer prevention. This was followed by a Pap smear, which was processed and interpreted onsite. The women attended small-group teaching on cervical cancer and its prevention. Thereafter, participants received their Pap results individually. Patients with abnormal cytology underwent immediate colposcopy with biopsies or LEEP as indicated. A follow-up questionnaire evaluated patient satisfaction and educational impact.

 

Results: 67 (96%) of the 70 participants reported Spanish as their native language, with 46 (66%) not speaking English. 39 (56%) had fewer than 6 years of education and 41 (59%) were without employment. 80% did not have a regular physician or health insurance. 30% either never had a Pap smear or had their last Pap smear more than 5 years prior. Years of education proved to be the only demographic characteristic that correlated with past compliance with cervical cancer screening (p = 0.02). The mean time for Pap smear staining and diagnosis on site was 22.6 5.3 minutes. The mean time each individual spent in the entire program was 88.5 43 minutes. On average there was a 22.5% improvement in the womens' knowledge score regarding cervical cancer prevention. All participants were highly satisfied with the program, which was strongly supported by 92% of non-participating members of the congregation.

 

Conclusions: This church-based, integrated single visit program for the prevention of cervical cancer was highly feasible and provided care to a substantial proportion of hard to reach patients. It may provide a unique basis to study barriers to cancer screening or prevention - information essential for the effective delivery of cancer vaccines.

 

Community Community NCCC Casino Night 2nd Annual NCCC Conference Visit our store iGive.com Register with iGive.com and help support our goals NCCC on Facebook NCCC on Myspace