Screening for cervical cancer among female physicians and their relatives in Taiwan: a population-based comparative study.

BACKGROUND

This study compares the practice of having the recommended Pap smear test every 3 years among female physicians, female relatives of physicians, and general women of similar socio-economic background.

METHODS

This population-based cohort study followed a total of 5,815,781 Taiwanese women from January 2001 to December 2003, who were 30 years of age or older in 2001. Of the total study population, 1950 were physicians and 27,441 were female relatives of physicians. Multiple logistical regression models were used.

RESULTS

After adjusting for age, ethnic status, physical disability status, and place of residence, of those women whose monthly insurable income was greater than $NT 40,000, female physicians (OR 0.54, 95% CI: 0.50-060) were the least likely to have undergone at least one Pap smear test during the three-year study period. The physicians' relatives (OR 0.90, 95% CI: 0.87-0.92) were also significantly less likely to take routine Pap smear tests compared to general women with equivalent socio-economic background.

CONCLUSIONS

The female physician is a major player in disease prevention with advanced knowledge of the benefits associated with the Pap smear test, but may not adhere any better to the recommendations than the general population.