Cervical screening Resources

Cervical screening checks the health of the cervix and can help to prevent and identify cervical cancer early to enable treatment to start. However, nearly a third of women are currently not participating in the screening programme so there is a strategic drive to increase this. To support an increase in uptake of smear tests, it is important to be aware of reasons why people do not attend. This literature review was undertaken to explore reasons why women do not participate in the cervical screening programme in the United Kingdom. Twelve studies were included in the review and thematic analysis was undertaken. The three themes identified were embarrassment and pain, knowledge, and health beliefs. Healthcare professionals, such as general practice nurses (GPNs), should be aware of potential factors which may prohibit attendance in order to encourage and increase engagement with the screening programme.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide, with around 311,000 women dying of the disease in 2018 (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020). In the UK, cervical cancer accounts for approximately 870 deaths each year. Effective primary (human papilloma virus [HPV] vaccination) and secondary (screening and treating precancerous lesions) strategies are therefore paramount in preventing unnecessary mortality, especially given that cervical cancers are one of the most successfully treated if caught early (WHO, 2020). Obtaining an adequate sample during cervical screening is of the utmost importance to ensure early histological changes are detected. Whether lubrication should be used during the screening process is a contentious issue, since contamination of the sample with lubricant can mean that vital histological changes are missed, thereby putting women at risk. This also needs to be balanced with women’s comfort, since an uncomfortable experience may lead to women failing to attend for future screening. This article looks at the current literature available, with recommendations for further research.