An inpatient cervical cancer screening program to reach underserved women

Underserved women (e.g., African American, older women of all races) are less likely to be screened than other groups. The Johns Hopkins Hospital began the Cervical Cancer Screening Program (CCSP) to provide direct Papanicolaou (Pap) test screening to inpatient females. Over a 1-year period, 256 women received Pap tests as part of the CCSP. Of these, 56% (n = 144) were African American, 36% (n = 92) received medical assistance benefits, and only 47% (n = 120) had health insurance. The CCSP is an effective way to screen low-income and underserved females who otherwise may not be screened.