CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING IN A PRIMARY HEALTH CARE UNIT IN THE INTERLAND OF THE STATE OF SÃO PAULO

• Grant number: 24/16949-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Cristiane Murta Ramalho Nascimento
• Grantee: Miguel Maringolo Ribeiro
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Cervical cancer is a public health problem in middle-income countries like Brazil. Organised screening using the pap smear and prompt treatment of women with abnormal tests are ways of reducing the incidence as well as mortality from this malignant neoplasm. Screening for cervical cancer in Brazil has always been opportunistic and has never reached the coverage target proposed by the World Health Organization, which is at least 70%. In August 2022, a pilot project for organized cervical cancer screening began at the Primary Health Care Unit (PHCU) affiliated with the Botucatu Medical School - Unesp. The aim of this study is to assess the coverage indicators of cervical cancer screening between August 2022 and July 2025 at the PHCU of Vila Ferroviária, to describe the characteristics of the women who take part in the screening and the results of the tests carried out. The target audience is around 2,000 women registered at the PHCU. A descriptive analysis of the data and comparison between groups will be carried out using the Stata 16.0 statistical programme. The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Botucatu Medical School. The results of this study could contribute to the implementation of organised cervical cancer screening in the municipality. The results will be presented at conferences and a scientific publication will be written.