Trends in cervical cancer screening in Ibadan, Nigeria: a four-year review

A four year retrospective review of cervical cytology services at the University College Hospital between 1992 and 1995 was carried out with a view to evaluating the trends in attendance, cost, sociodemographic characteristics and pattern of abnormal smears. The results were compared to those of an initial 4-year period (1988-1991) when the service was initiated. Fifty-three percent (53.8%) of 1,127 smears taken during the period were routine smears. Majority (45.8%) of the smears were non-specific inflammatory changes while 26.8% were negative. Cervical intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) was diagnosed in 11.8% while 5 patients (0.44%) had neoplastic changes. The mean age were 39.8 (+/- 9.5), 40 (+/- 9), 52 (+/- 6) years for the entire study population, patients with CIN and patients with neoplastic changes respectively. There is a general decline in the number of smears taken while the cost of the procedure increased over the study period. In 10.5% there are inadequate documentation and missing results. In our country where cervical cancer is the commonest female malignancy and leading cause of death among women, there is an urgent need to reverse this unfavourable trend, through use of public education, inducement, staff motivation and training in addition to computerisation of data.