[Attitudes to the use of vaginal cytologic examinations in general practice]

In June 1988, a questionnaire was sent to 221 Danish general practitioners chosen at random and to 195 registrars who had applied for postgraduate courses in general medicine. The percentage replies were 83 and 73, respectively. Employing the questionnaire, information was obtained about the doctor's employment of CS on the basis of definite case reports and the doctor's assessment of the certainty of the examination. The investigation revealed that there was a general tendency to freer indications than those officially recommended, that younger women were examined more frequently than recommended, that elderly patients were examined less frequently than recommended and that considerable excessive employment of CS took place in women with condylomata and herpes genitalis. As a rule, the doctors overestimated the reduction in the risk of disease obtained by CS. It is concluded that information from the official authorities concerning employment of CS sent to general practitioners is not satisfactory and that this should be considered in extension of future guidelines about the employment of methods of examination. Precise and effectively distributed information about rationel employment of an examination must be considered to be an important way in which to obtain optimal utilization of resources.