General Practitioner Based Screening for Cervical Cancer: Higher Participation of Women with a Higher Risk?

1997 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
A C Kant ◽  
B T H M Palm ◽  
E Wentink ◽  
C van Weel

Objective— To test the hypothesis that a personal invitation for cervical screening by a woman's own general practitioner (GP) achieves a higher attendance of women with an increased risk for cervical cancer. Setting— Two general practices and the local health authority screening programme for cervical cancer, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Methods— Attendance rates of women with an increased risk of cervical cancer were compared for two invitation strategies: (a) invitation by the woman's own GP, and ( b) invitation by a national call system through the local health authority. Data on risk profiles were gathered by questionnaire. Two hundred and thirty eight women eligible for screening were invited by their GPs (GP group), and 235 women by the local health authority (control group) in 1992. Results— The personal invitation by the GP resulted in an 18% higher overall attendance, and a 28% higher attendance of women with greater risk because of sexual behaviour and smoking. Conclusion— Greater involvement of the GP in inviting women for cervical cancer screening results in a higher attendance, particularly among women with increased risk, than a less personal health authority call system.

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1446-1455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances C Hillier ◽  
Alan M Batterham ◽  
Catherine A Nixon ◽  
Alisha M Crayton ◽  
Claire L Pedley ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the effectiveness of a brief face-to-face health promotion intervention which included a ‘pledge’ using brief negotiation techniques, compared with standard advice-giving techniques, delivered in a community setting.DesignA parallel group pre–post design using randomised matched groups. Lifestyle helpers delivered the intervention (one consultation per participant). Diet, physical activity and anthropometric measurements were collected at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. Qualitative data were also collected.SettingMiddlesbrough (UK).SubjectsAdults living in low socio-economic areas.ResultsRecruitment and engagement of lifestyle helpers was difficult, and initial expectations that local health authority staff working in the community and community champions would act as lifestyle helpers were not realised. As a consequence, recruitment of participants was lower than anticipated. One hundred and twenty-eight adults were recruited and the retention rate was 48 % at 12 months. Barriers to participation included poor health and competing commitments. No significant differences in change in diet or physical activity behaviours, or BMI, between the intervention and control groups were observed. The control group had a significantly greater decrease in waist circumference at 12 months compared with the intervention group.ConclusionsThis exploratory trial provides important insights in terms of recruiting lifestyle helpers for community-based health promotion interventions, specifically (i) the priorities and limitations in terms of time (regardless of their general enthusiasm) for staff employed by the local health authority, and (ii) the willingness of potential community champions to serve their local community in areas where community identity and ‘spirit’ are seen as lacking.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena Squillace ◽  
Lorenzo Pizzi ◽  
Flavia Rallo ◽  
Carmen Bazzani ◽  
Gianni Saguatti ◽  
...  

AbstractWe conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the likelihood of returning for routine breast cancer screening among women who have experienced a false-positive result (FPR) and to describe the possible individual and organizational factors that could influence subsequent attendance to the screening program. Several information were collected on demographic and clinical characteristics data. Electronic data from 2014 to 2016 related to breast screening program of the Local Health Authority (LHA) of Bologna (Italy) of women between 45 and 74 years old were reviewed. A total of 4847 women experienced an FPR during mammographic screening and were recalled to subsequent round; 80.2% adhered to the screening. Mean age was 54.2 ± 8.4 years old. Women resulted to be less likely to adhere to screening if they were not-Italian (p = 0.001), if they lived in the Bologna district (p < 0.001), if they had to wait more than 5 days from II level test to end of diagnostic procedures (p = 0.001), if the diagnostic tests were performed in a hospital with the less volume of activity and higher recall rate (RR) (p < 0.001) and if they had no previous participation to screening tests (p < 0.001). Our results are consistent with previous studies, and encourages the implementation and innovation of the organizational characteristics for breast cancer screening. The success of screening programs requires an efficient indicators monitoring strategy to develop and evaluate continuous improvement processes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Leonessi ◽  
P Tubertini ◽  
A Longanesi ◽  
E Malaguti ◽  
S Guicciardi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background High costs of healthcare and population ageing force the health system to constantly improve its efficiency in order to provide patients the best possible care with the available resources. In this perspective, the Local Health Authority and the University of Bologna started an experimentation to re-organize, manage and control the peri-operative elective path of general surgery, a discipline that works in a multiplatform environment according to a Hub & Spoke logic. Methods The experimentation is built on two mathematical programming models. The first one defines patient preparation appointments (i.e. diagnostic and anesthesiologic visits), harmonizing patient preparation with available resources, and planning migration from Hub to Spoke platforms, in order to optimize waiting time and facilities utilization. The second model defines weekly optimal admission plans. Both models consider the availability of resources in terms of surgical teams, operating room slots and number of beds for each operating unit. The proposed approach works on a four-week time horizon following a rolling horizon framework (weekly update) in order to effectively manage high priority patients. Results Both models have been tested on real-world instances over a six-month observation period. Overall, it was possible to increase the efficiency of surgical programming by reducing the waiting times for surgical interventions in over 20% of cases of high priority patiets in four local departments. Conclusions The proposed model represents one of the few cases in Italy of surgical programming developed through mathematical models. It will be necessary to evaluate the evolution of its effectiveness to optimize the system's ability to respond to the growing health needs of the population. Key messages Mathematical models are needed to optimize surgical planning. Efficiency of surgical planning may reduce waiting times for high priority procedures.


The Lancet ◽  
1961 ◽  
Vol 278 (7198) ◽  
pp. 368-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.L. Midgley

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
S Thierry ◽  
S Alsibai ◽  
I Parent du Châtelet ◽  
on behalf of the investigation team

Between the end of January and 12 March 2008, 16 cases of measles were reported to the local health authority in Reims in eastern France. The outbreak has to date affected nine adults and seven children, aged from seven months to 28 years. Among these cases, 13 were biologically confirmed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 526-533
Author(s):  
Ian Peate

Screening for cervical cancer saves lives. This article provides an overview of cervical screening programmes offered by the NHS. All four countries in the UK provide a cervical cancer screening programme. Cervical screening identifies apparently healthy women who may be at increased risk of a disease or condition; this then provides an opportunity for earlier treatment or better informed decisions. In some instances, the healthcare assistant and assistant practitioner (HCA and AP) may be needed in order to provide assistance with the screening procedure, offering the woman physical and psychological support. This article offers the reader an overview of the cervix, along with a brief description of signs and symptoms of cervical cancer.


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