Enhancing Adherence to Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines at a Student-Run Free Clinic

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Gynecology

Background:

• Uninsured women experience lower cervical cancer screening rates and higher incidence compared to insured women.
• National screening rates are 86.9% for insured and 68.2% for uninsured women.
• Student-run free clinics offer a potential avenue to increase screening among uninsured populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine cervical cancer screening rates at a student-run free clinic.
• To assess the effectiveness of student-run free clinics in increasing screening rates for uninsured women.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of female patients aged 21-64 at a student-run free clinic.
• Assessment of screening status based on American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines.
• Inclusion of 239 women in the review.

Main Results:

• 87.9% of patients at the clinic were up-to-date with cervical cancer screening.
• This rate surpasses national averages for both uninsured (68.2%) and insured (86.9%) women.
• Factors contributing to success include standardized systems, community partnerships for Pap tests, and longitudinal patient care.

Conclusions:

• Student-run free clinics demonstrate high cervical cancer screening rates, outperforming national benchmarks.
• These clinics effectively address barriers faced by uninsured women.
• Areas for improvement include reducing no-show rates and consistent screening at each visit.