Women's Perceptions & Experiences of Screening

Women's experiences at cervical screening
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7569870

Factors affecting attendance for a cervical smear test: a prospective studyhttp://www.cervicalcheck.ie/_fileupload/Publications/Factors%20affecting%20attendance%20at%20smear%20tests%20Sept%2003.pdf

Personal influencing factors associated with pap smear testing and cervical cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18492942?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=1&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

Risk factors for cervical cancer development: what do women think?http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16335302?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=1&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

Women's knowledge and experience of cervical screening: a failure of health education and medical organisation
http://jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/11/4/279

Screening for cervical cancer: a review of women's attitudes, knowledge and behaviourhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10024713?ordinalpos=1&itool=PPMCLayout.PPMCAppController.PPMCArticlePage.PPMCPubmedRA&linkpos=4

Uptake of cervical cancer screening in the Netherlands is mainly influenced by women's beliefs about the screening and by the inviting organisation
http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/17/2/178

Individualing a general medical discourse: women making sense of cervical cancer screening in the UK
http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/0/9/0/2/p109024_index.html

The impact of knowledge, perceived barriers and perceptions of risk on attendance for a routinue cervical smear
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13625180600841827

Frequency of after-effects reported by women following a cervical smear test
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/cyt/2006/00000017/A00101s1/art00052?crawler=true

A survey of female nursing students' knowledge, health beliefs, perception of risk and risk behaviours regarding HPV and cervical cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16460412?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=3&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

Factors influencing cancer screening practices of underserved women
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17970859?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=5&log$=relatedreviews&logdbfrom=pubmed

Perceived cervical cancer risk among women undergoing colposcopy
http://louisville.edu/medschool/behavioraloncology/presentations/perceived-cervical-cancer-risk-among-women-undergoing-colposcopy.html

Psychological effects of a low-grade abnormal cervical smear test result: anxiety and associated factors
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2361408/

Women's understanding of abnormal cervical smear results: a qualitative interview study
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25174529

What do women think about abnormal smear test results? A qualitative interview study
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01443610400023155

Added 21 Dec 09
Women's experiences of cervical screening
http://www.healthtalkonline.org/cancer/cervical_screening/Topic/1161/

Added 21 Dec 09
Women's understanding of a "normal" smear test result - experimental questionnaire based study
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25466335

Added 21 Dec 09
Improving the quality and coverage of cervical screening - women's views
http://jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/17/3/277

Added 1 Jan 2010
Australian Women's needs and preferences for information about HPV in cervical screening
http://jms.rsmjournals.com/cgi/reprint/12/3/134.pdf

Added 1 Jan 2010
Women's experiences of gynaecological care
http://books.google.com/books?id=DcdwhbGfMsIC&pg=PA23&lpg=PA23&dq=cervical+screening%2Bdistressed&source=bl&ots=LYBbvYEoRW&sig=iWwmZgzeukj8R_XKV6fWFbAvZQ8&hl=en&ei=HDE-S9DVB4L40wTC-qmSBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CBgQ6AEwBDge#v=onepage&q=cervical%20screening%2Bdistressed&f=false

Added 1 Jan 2010
Article re: sexual abuse victims refusing smear tests (Australia)
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/11/15/1068674436780.html?from=storyrhs

Added 1 Jan 2010
Irish screening authority report on cervical screening and improving uptake
http://www.cervicalcheck.ie/_fileupload/File/Guide%20for%20Smeartakers_Jan_09/Chapter%206%20Womens%20Participation.pdf

Added 1 Jan 2010
Cognition and affect after cervical screening - the role of previous test outcomes and personal obligation in future uptake expectations
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VBF-3VV412M-1T&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1151385872&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a575cf9be845f8439f66624a99083257

Added 6 Jan 2010 Article on attempts to make positive smear results less worrying for women http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/cervical-screening-part-2-abnormal-smears-not-surprisingly-set-the-alarm-bells-ringing-about-cancer-but-screening-itself-is-to-blame-for-spreading-fear-1274918.html

Added Jan 16 2010 Women's experiences of abnormal cervical cytology - illness representations, care processes and outcomes
 http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/reprint/1/4/196.pdf

Added 13 Feb 2010 - The potential for feminist political practice to empower the underrepresented consumer: the case of cervical cancer screening services
http://www.springerlink.com/content/k024014063r24475/

Added 25 Feb 2010 - Feminist healthcare with out of the mainstream adolescent females http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01460860119440

Added 25 Feb 2010 - During cervical screening, women desired good communication and sensitivity from their doctor
http://ebn.bmj.com/content/2/3/92.extract

Added 25 Feb 2010 - women with learning disabilities and access to cervical screening - retrospective cohort study using case control methods
 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/8/30/

Added 25 Feb 2010 - breast and cervical screening for women with mental illness: patient and provider perspectives
http://www.springerlink.com/content/v8523361n8p44116/

Added 25 Feb 2010 - cervical screening: the knowledge and opinions of black and minority ethnic women and of health advocates in East London
http://hej.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/57/1/3

Added 25 Feb 2010 - Correlates of cervical cancer screening between underserved african american and hispanic women
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15313085

Added 25 Feb 2010 - breast and cervical cancer in indigenous women - barriers to early detection
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18345371?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=4&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

Added 25 Feb 2010 - marrying research, clinical practice and cervical screening in Australian aboriginal women
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19459723

Added 26 Feb 2010 - Influences on the uptake of reproductive health services in Uganda and implications for breast and cervical screening
http://www.reproductive-health-journal.com/content/4/1/4

Added 12 Mar 2010 - Women with learning disabilities and cervical screeninghttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11095229

Mar 2010 - Cervical cancer/Brazilian women in the Favelas
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=rm3eQN-9yiQC&pg=PA92&lpg=PA92&dq=pap+smear+forced&source=bl&ots=PXHfF3wgky&sig=qQwrdKQBevVUY8hpueoj7whOngo&hl=en&ei=uMGzS6SfJYKq4QaBs_iaAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CCIQ6AEwBzhG#v=onepage&q=pap%20smear%20forced&f=false

Feb 2011 - Issues with New Zealand screening programme (study done without the participants' consent)
http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/ptb/mso/hid/hid2/mcdonald%20paper.pdf

December 2011 - The role of primary care professionals in women’s experiences of cervical cancer screening: a qualitative study
http://fampra.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/11/15/fampra.cmr105.full.pdf

and as the above link is only accessible to subscribers, a short BBC report on it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15780784

Incentives for health professionals to promote screening

UK Parliament discussion on GP renumeration and effects on patient consent
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm198990/cmhansrd/1990-03-29/Debate-15.html

Health: GPs 'bully women into smears for cash' (UK)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/114086.stm

Decisions about Pap tests - what influences women and providers? (Australia)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VBF-4VYKJRG-2&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1143400536&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=00a7db8b9d698ee2694ed208f097805e

Added 21 Dec 09
Can financial incentive affect GP practice?
http://www.who.int/hrh/en/HRDJ_3_2_05.pdf

Added 21 dec 09
The appropriate use of financial incentives to encourage preventative care in general practice
http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/centres/che/pubs/rr18.pdf

Added 21 Dec 09
Promoting screening for cervical cancer: realising the potential for recruitment for general practitioners
http://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/11/4/299.pdf

Frequency and Age of screening - pros and cons

Rates of cervical cancer screening in the US
http://www.springerlink.com/content/rw33577571673852/

New cervical cancer guidelines (end of yearly testing)http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HealthyLiving/guidelines-ditch-annual-pap-smears/story?id=9131632

Added 21 Dec 09
Quinquennial (5-yearly) smears - every woman's right and every general practitioners responsibility (paper dated 1984) UK
http://www.jstor.org/pss/29516758

Added 21 Dec 09
Article on the decision not to screen at age 20 in the UK
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8116962.stm

Added 23 Dec 09
Article discussing changing first age of screening from 20 to 25 (Australia)
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/national/6503507/start-pap-tests-later-in-life-say-australian-doctors/

Added 1 Jan 2010
Hansard - UK Parliament discussion on possibly changing the smear test age from 25 to 20
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm091014/debtext/91014-0008.htm

Added 23 Jan 2010
Decision not to reduce the age of screening in the UK from 25 to 20
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/338/jun26_1/b2583

Added 29 Jan 2010
Findings and outcomes of teenage women referred for colposcopy in Christchurch (New Zealand)
http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/118-1211/1350/

Added 14 Feb 2010
Emotion vs evidence re: dropping screening age
http://blogs.ft.com/healthblog/2009/07/29/health-and-cervical-screening-emotion-vs-evidence/#comments

Added 25 Feb 2010
Should we discontinue pap smear testing in women >65 years of age?
http://www.jfponline.com/Pages.asp?AID=1678&issue=April_2004&UID=

Added 12 Mar 2010 -Cervical screening - when to start? (New Zealand)
http://www.nsu.govt.nz/News/2177.aspx

Added Mar 2010
Smear tests in virgins
http://www.carepages.com/cancer/cervical-cancer-and-virginity.html

Added Apr 2010
Study providing scientific background to UK screening being moved to over-25s
http://www.nursingtimes.net/whats-new-in-nursing/behind-the-headlines-archive/smear-test-no-benefit-in-early-20s/5004667.article

Added April 13 2010 - Article on efficiency of varied frequency and age of screening (UK)
http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v89/n1/full/6600974a.html

Added April 18 2010 - article on decision to keep screening age at 25 (UK)
http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/publications/nhscsp31.pdf

Added June 2010
UK research paper on effectiveness in screening the under-25s
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/339/jul28_2/b2968?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=1&author1=Sasieni&andorexacttitle=and&titleabstract=cervical&andorexacttitleabs=and&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=date&fdate=7/1/2009&tdate=9/30/2009&resourcetype=HWCIT

Added Jan 2011 - Risk of cervical abnormality in women over 50 with previous negative history
http://publications.icr.ac.uk/8176/1/8176PV.pdf

Official Recommendations and Information Leaflets

NHS Evidence - screening leaflet
http://www.patient.co.uk/pdf/pilsL27.pdf

Added 21 Dec 09
Cervical Screening - The Facts (screening leaflet, UK)http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/publications/in-04.html

Guidelines push back age for cervical cancer test
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/health/20pap.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Australian cancer screening recommendations
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/screening/publishing.nsf/Content/home

Cervical Screening Information
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Cervical-Screening-Test.htm

Added 21 Dec 09
Inviting women for screening - what messages do leaflets convey?http://hej.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/49/3/123

Added 6 Jan 2010 - BUPA (UK private healthcare provider) information leaflet http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/cervical_screening.html#2

Added 25 Feb 2010 - smear test leaflet - LGBT UK http://lgbthealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/smear_leaflet.pdf

Added 25 Feb 2010 - What's pants but could save your life? Increasing cervical cancer utilisation in the UK http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/pch/phcm/casesjournal/volume3/showcase/cases_3_11.pdf

Added 12 Mar 2010 - Cervical Cancer Charity (UK)
http://www.jotrust.co.uk/

Added 17 Mar 2010 - screening and pregnancy (UK)
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/type/cervical-cancer/smears/pregnancy-and-abnormal-cervical-cells

Added 17 mar 2010 screening and pregnancy (UK)
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1646.aspx?CategoryID=54&SubCategoryID=130

Added 17 mar 2010 screening and pregnancy (New Zealand)
http://www.nsu.govt.nz/Current-NSU-Programmes/1155.aspx

Added 17 mar 2010 screening and pregnancy (USA) http://www.americanpregnancy.org/womenshealth/papsmear.html

Added 17 mar 2010 screening and pregnancy (USA)
 http://www.gynob.com/diseases.htm

Sept 2010 Australian cervical screening website
http://www.papscreen.org.au/

Oct 2010 - Clinical guidance (UK) on when to cease recalling women for smears.
http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/publications/nhscsp-gpg1.pdf

Feb2011 Official information on how screening guidelines are decided (UK)
http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/cervical/research.html

Discussion Forums and Personal Anecdotes

....from the horse's mouth, as it were...most women's websites will have a thread going on screening and personal experiences, these are just a small sample.

Very good forum discussing patient privacy and consent. Many of the articles posted on this site originally were posted on that forum by the members (many thanks, ladies and gentleman!)
http://patientprivacy.blogspot.com/2009/05/womens-privacy-modesty-concerns.html

General discussion, smear tests and contraceptive use
http://std.about.com/u/ua/stdsinthemedia/papocpua.htm

A great grandmother of a discussion - been going since 2005!  Still going strong and some of the regulars seem to be organising a separate website on female gynaecology which may be of interest.  Thankfully they seem to have shaken off the infestation of male trolls with a gynaecology fetish.....
http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/unnecessary-pap-smears/

UK cervical screening discussion board
http://experience.patient.co.uk/discussion_list.php?d=213

Blog giving a summary of some of most commonly quoted links and articles on this subject 
http://againstallevidence.wordpress.com/2010/12/30/cervical-screening-lies-part-1/

Newspaper Articles

Article by UK woman who decided to cease having smears based on informed risk/benefit analysis.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2003/may/22/genderissues.publichealth

Article by UK women urging young women to have smears.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/22/jade-health-and-wellbeing

Article by UK mental health patient who decided to cease having smears based on bad experiences with testing
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/joepublic/2009/apr/17/smear-tests-mental-health

Cancer screening smackdown continues - pap smears and colonoscopies take a hit
http://wellness.blogs.time.com/2009/11/06/cancer-screening-smackdown-continues-pap-smears-and-colonoscopies-take-a-hit/?xid=rss-topstories

Added 21 Jan 2010
Article on fallout from breast cancer screening false positives
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jan/20/emotions-tumours-breast-cancer-screening

6 June 2011
Balanced pros and cons article on screening by age
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jun/06/cervical-cancer-screening-age

9 June 2011
Set of articles around cervical cancer, vaccination etc by Debora Miranda
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/series/cervical-cancer-screening

and Debora's related website, on the subject of her journalism MA
http://cancer-screening.net/