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Retrospective analysis of clinician and patient factors associated with unsatisfactory Pap tests

  • 0Department of Family Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Journal of Medical Screening +

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August 13, 2025

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August 13, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Unsatisfactory Pap test rates were 2.3%, with patient age over 50 being a key factor. Focusing on patient characteristics, particularly age, may reduce repeat Papanicolaou (Pap) tests and improve screening efficiency.

Area Of Science

  • Gynecology
  • Primary Care
  • Public Health

Background

  • Papanicolaou (Pap) tests are crucial for cervical cancer screening.
  • Unsatisfactory Pap test (UPT) results necessitate repeat testing, impacting resources and patient satisfaction.
  • Understanding factors associated with UPTs can guide interventions to improve screening efficiency.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To assess the rate of unsatisfactory Pap tests (UPTs) in a primary care setting.
  • To identify associations between UPTs and clinician characteristics (gender, degree, experience).
  • To identify associations between UPTs and patient characteristics (age, marital status, race/ethnicity).

Main Methods

  • Retrospective analysis of 51,195 Pap tests from women aged 21-65 between July 2021 and June 2023.
  • Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine UPT associations.
  • Data included clinician and patient demographics.

Main Results

  • The overall UPT rate was 2.3%.
  • Female clinicians had slightly lower UPT rates than male clinicians (p=0.015).
  • UPTs were more common in women over 50, married women, and Asian women (p<0.001 for all).
  • Clinician experience showed a U-shaped association with UPTs (p=0.004).

Conclusions

  • Clinician characteristics had a minor influence on UPT rates.
  • Patient age, specifically over 50, appears to be the most significant factor for UPTs.
  • Shifting to primary human papillomavirus (HPV) screening for peri/post-menopausal women could reduce UPTs.

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