[Coverage and costs of opportunistic screening for cervical cancer in Cantabria (Spain)]

To analyze cervical cancer screening performed in Cantabria by evaluating the coverage and costs of screening and by calculating the available direct costs of the disease and the indirect costs of cervical cancer mortality.

Screening for cervical cancer is performed in women aged between 21 and 65. According to the census for 2011 in Cantabria, there were 189.111 women in this age group. We performed a cross sectional, quantitative and qualitative study of the Pap smears performed and analyzed the direct and indirect costs of cervical cancer.

Between 2006 and 2011, 51% of women studied had one Pap smear, and 26% had two. In 2011, 31.554 Pap smears were performed in opportunistic screening in Cantabria, and the direct cost was 2,904.760 €. The annual direct cost of cervical cancer (average 2008-2010) was 567.567 €. The annual indirect costs (average 2001-2008) of cervical cancer was 386.122.02 €, in the reference scenario considered.

Only 26% of women in Cantabria attended screening within the intervals recommended in the current opportunistic protocol. The cost data provided in this study may be useful for future economic evaluations.