Health education in a computer-managed cervical screening programme

In designing health education material for a cervical screening programme, attention needs to be given to those features identified by research as influencing women's use of screening services. These include not only women's attitudes and beliefs about cervical screening, but also organisational and administrative barriers that can deter women from attending for a smear test. Health information may be presented through a variety of media and at different stages in the cervical screening decision-making process. This paper describes the specific health education used in a computer-managed scheme and how it was modified in the light of findings from research which monitored and evaluated the scheme.