Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026
03:49
Anogenital Distance and Perineal Measurements of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) Quantification System
Published on: September 20, 2018
Women with learning disabilities and access to cervical screening: retrospective cohort study using case control
Fiona Reynolds1, Debbi Stanistreet, Peter Elton
1Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health Unit, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. fiona.reynolds-2@manchester.ac.uk
BMC Public Health
|January 26, 2008
Summary
Women with learning disabilities are less likely to receive cervical screening tests and more likely to be removed from screening programs. This highlights a need for improved training for healthcare providers on appropriate screening practices for this population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Gynecological Health
- Health Disparities
Background:
- Studies indicate reduced cervical screening uptake in women with learning disabilities in the UK.
- General practitioners (GPs) have previously deemed cervical screening unnecessary for women with learning disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if women with learning disabilities are more frequently removed from cervical screening programs.
- To investigate the reasons behind the cessation of cervical screening for women with learning disabilities.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study comparing cervical screening records.
- Utilized Read codes to identify women with learning disabilities.
- Case-control analysis (1:2 ratio) with odds ratio calculation.
Main Results:
- Women with learning disabilities had significantly lower odds of receiving cervical screening (OR 0.48).
- They had significantly higher odds of being ceased from screening programs (OR 2.05).
- Women with learning disabilities were less likely to be non-responders (OR 0.14).
Conclusions:
- Coding a learning disability alone does not fully explain cessation from screening.
- Training is required for smear takers on appropriate reasons for not screening.
- Enhanced training is needed on providing cervical screening for women with learning disabilities.
