Cervical screening: population-based comparisons between self-reported survey and registry-derived Pap test rates

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Cancer Screening

Background:

• Accurate measurement of cervical screening rates is crucial for evaluating public health interventions.
• Self-reported data is commonly used but may be subject to overestimation.
• Registry-based data offers a more objective measure of screening uptake.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare self-reported cervical screening rates from the 1998 NSW Health Survey with registry data from the NSW Pap Test Register.
• To identify factors contributing to the overestimation of cervical screening rates in self-reported data.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 1998 NSW Health Survey and the NSW Pap Test Register (1997-98).
• Estimated biennial cervical screening rates from both sources.
• Compared rates and analyzed differences in relation to socio-demographic characteristics across NSW Area Health Services.

Main Results:

• The 1998 NSW Health Survey indicated 74% of women underwent Pap testing, versus 62% on the NSW Pap Test Register.
• Differences between self-reported and registry rates varied from 9 to 19 percentage points across NSW Area Health Services.
• No significant association was found between socio-economic status, regional, or migrant population characteristics and the discrepancy in reported rates.

Conclusions:

• Self-reported cervical screening data in NSW inflates actual screening rates by approximately 19% (12 percentage points).
• The findings suggest a need for adjustments when using survey data to assess cervical cancer screening coverage.
• This research provides a basis for correcting over-reporting in future cervical cancer screening surveys.