[Vaginal smears on clinical indication in a county with systematized screening]

In Denmark PAP-smear screening is performed by the GPs. The objective of this study is to report the proportion af smears taken on clinical indication over an eight week period in the county of Aarhus, and to obtain a precise reason for making a PAP-smear on clinical indication. Some 27% of all smears taken were on clinical indication. Some 55% of these smears were due to a follow-up on previous PAP-smears, while tests due to subjective symptoms account for the major part of the remaining tests. Testing the target group outside the screening programme is discouraged, but some 43% of tests on indication are not due to follow-up of previous smears. Further studies of the consequences of such testing are recommended.